With more hope than confidence, the dawn of 2021 brought with it the prospect of a more positive and active netball year. No-one could predict with any certainty what was to come, of course. Even the epidemiologists still can’t forecast what lies ahead.
Yet, during two supremely challenging seasons, Netball Victoria's strong community foundations have stayed firmly in place. Last year, more than 60 per cent of members (68,423 in total) renewed despite competitions that were at the very best limited/modified, and at worst, including the football/netball leagues, did not get underway at all.
Very few members accepted the offer of full (if they had not taken the court, or for those enduring financial hardship) or partial reimbursement, allowing Netball Victoria to – among other things – ease some affiliate pain by offering grants in four categories to help those associations in need.
So to this year: what to forecast in terms of registrations, remembering that fees paid not only provide each individual with playing and training insurance but underpin all of Netball Victoria's work from grassroots to high performance?
The Covid-related knowns: some who walked away would not return, having found something - even if that was nothing - they preferred to do with their time. There would obviously be difficult financial circumstances for many, and parents unwilling to recommit to the crazy days of multiple kids’ activities. A cheaper and less frantic life meant, among there things, paring back the sporting choices.
In a “normal” year, for those who can remember one, the statewide membership number would be around 111,000. Back in February, as Victoria embarked on lockdown No.3, any kind of triple-figure result loomed as a stretch target, with expectations that senior numbers would probably decline by 15 per cent and juniors by 10 per cent.
The reality, for now, with several new competitions still come: juniors have dropped by 8.33 per cent, but NetSetGO by just 1.86 per cent. Perhaps most surprisingly, the senior dip has been a modest 2.38 per cent. And credit, as always, where it’s due.
“There’s a general acknowledgement that our associations are at the forefront, and that they have powered through on a can-do attitude to get netball back to the community as quickly as possible,’’ says Mel Taylor, Netball Victoria’s General Manager Netball Participation.
“Netball has always had a power behind it and, despite a lack of resources and money, our sport usually finds a way.
“I’ve absolutely noticed the determination from our associations to get things back up and running, but probably what has shone out in the last 18 months has been the value of community sport and its relationship with social wellbeing; so the team environment, the connection to friends, being part of something, part of the community.
“It’s also been the driving force for Netball Victoria to provide the opportunity for members of the community to reconnect. There’s been a lot of commentary about ‘let’s do it for the kids, let’s make sure we’re getting back on court because of that social value and the mental health and wellbeing of the netball community’.’’
Yet nor can the importance of the senior membership be underestimated. The six-digit milestone was reached at the end of July, and what was marked in simpler times with fairy bread (using the 100s & 1000s theme) is now celebrated distantly via Zoom, but with the sense of achievement undiminished.
“We’re absolutely celebrating,’’ says Amanda Basu, Netball Victoria’s General Manager - Government Relations.
“Every time we come out of a lockdown we jump on and we have a webinar to talk through getting out of lockdown, and even if we’ve told them bad news they’d say ‘geez, you’re delivering a shit sandwich today but you’re doing it well. Thanks for your support’.
“There is a real collegiate feeling between country and metro, offering advice, and I think our people were willing to do whatever it took to get back on court, and be creative and inventive and just make it happen.
“That #PlayfortheLove that we’ve been using is genuinely what’s happened. Everyone’s tried to get back and do as much as much as they can to get kids on court. But obviously the adults have missed it, too, so they’ve said ‘get me back on a court. I’ve missed it as much as the kids have’.’’
Basu long ago lost count of her tally of phone calls to local councils clarifying various rules and restrictions, while the entire Netball Vic participation team remain agile and supportive throughout.
“I do feel there’s a a real love in the system about just having everyone’s back, and I myself have gained so much energy from that group of affiliates dialling in to work out how to do it - as they have from feeling that warm hug from Mel and I to say ‘keep going’.
“Every time you try to say thank you, you say ‘oh, it feels hollow, because here we are saying it for the eighth time', or what not.
“But you can’t thank them enough for just how invested they are in their communities and getting it done… People genuinely just want to get back on the court and even with those barriers they found different courts, run 2, 3,4 sites where they could just get on. There’s so much passion and energy that it just refills everyone’s cup in seeing and being a part of that.’’
Was that expected?
“Yes and no,'' says Basu. "You know how passionate people are, but then I guess when you get in the trenches with people you’re reminded of how far you’ll go with people and what people will do when they’re faced with a challenge.’’
The high retention rate among senior players is significant, given the many factors that determine the ability to participate in community sport.
“Most of our members are female, and in particular our mums will always take a step back and prioritise our kids, or prioritise other family over their own social outlet,’’ says Taylor, happy and a touch surprised that those who give so much are also doing it for themselves.
Basu adds that although coronavirus complications and the prospect of rolling lockdowns will remain on the horizon for some time yet, 2021 is evidence of community netball's ability to find a way.
“I think some of us were quietly confident of getting to 100(000), but would not have said it out loud,'' she admits. "Certainly to get the first season away, and I guess we’ve been buoyed as the year’s gone on... but to still tick over the 100 we've got to celebrate that number, because we’ve got to celebrate the wins.
“What a year we’ve had, still. What a weird and wonderful year.’’
Written by Linda Pearce
