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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

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Original poster

Netball

49 replies

KittyMcKitty · 15/04/2018 11:05

OK so maybe not strictly FWR but if we ever wanted to show our daughters just what women can achieve in sports the CG netball final between England and Australia is as fine an example as any.

I’m biased (we are a netballing family) but netball- from grass roots up does so much to show our daughters what they can achieve Smile

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misscockerspaniel · 15/04/2018 11:15

It was a brilliant match - well done the Roses Smile.

If anyone is remembering their school netball days with affection, or simply wants to have fun whilst getting fit, back-to-netball is made for you. It is a countrywide scheme, so there is no excuse Grin

LangCleg · 15/04/2018 11:20

One of my cousins runs a netball club with teams for all ages. I completely agree it's a brilliant sport for women, full of energy and competitiveness - and so many women and girls involved!

misscockerspaniel · 15/04/2018 11:46

Why isn't it an Olympic sport? The matches have been so good and who knew that it was the national sport of Malawi?

AssassinatedBeauty · 15/04/2018 11:49

It's not yet an Olympic sport because it isn't played widely enough across the whole world, and is mostly played by women.

Original poster
KittyMcKitty · 15/04/2018 12:07

Netball is played by more then 20 million women in more then 80 countries. It is women only which is one of the things which attracts so many girls to it.

The IOC refusal to include netball, even as a temporary sport (when they include synchronised swimming and beach volleyball- surely much more niche sports) is IMO sexist.

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Ifonlyus · 15/04/2018 12:15

I agree netball is a great sport to play. I didn't have much luck getting back into it as an adult but that could be where I live. My not-keen-on-sport dd plays for a friendly supportive team and she gets so much out of it.

HerFemaleness · 15/04/2018 12:22

I loved netball. I was a fair goal scorer but I was always put on goal defence as I was one of the taller girls.

Nextloorejext · 15/04/2018 13:08

Played till i was 40 - missed last nights game sadly but saw them beat NZ which was a fantastic game, very exciting. It’s a great sport - my husband was a pro footballer and really rated it, always came along to watch our matches if he could.

mfwannabe · 15/04/2018 14:12

Fantastic to watch and such a fast-paced, athletic sport. My young DDs were screaming at the telly with joy!

I saw this on the Guardian website today, some positive news about the future of women's sport :

“England’s victory is the latest in an impressive run of global titles for women’s teams from the home nations. Since the hockey women won gold at the Rio Olympics in 2016, England women won the cricket World Cup at Lord’s last July while the football team reached the semi-finals of Euro 2017.

“We all support each other,” Neville said. “We went down to watch the women win at the cricket World Cup and we will go to the hockey world cup [in May]. When we have international events we support each other and go watch and what we’re trying to do is generate as women in sport a multiple support system so we can crossover the sports and increase the revenue and spectator and participation levels.“ (sorry, have no idea how to do a link to the actual article)

rosy71 · 15/04/2018 14:22

We really enjoyed watching the final - it was really exciting. Ds1 & 2 watched and enjoyed it too.

I was amazed to discover the coach is the sister of Phil and Gary Neville.

HairyBallTheorem · 15/04/2018 14:26

I just stumbled on that news and watched the highlights on the BBC website. Well done the England team. (Not my personal favourite sport I must admit, too many memories of being the short-arse relegated to playing WD on a windswept corner of the playground...)

Mildlyattractivebetty · 15/04/2018 17:03

What a match!! My dd now wants 2 things:

  • to play for England
  • to wear fishtail plaits

So brilliant, netball is an awesome game - is it the World Cup next year in Liverpool?

KittTheCar · 15/04/2018 17:38

I like that they seem to show more of a range of sports and more womens sports with these events than they used to (or maybe I didn't used to watch so much!).

I#ve got 2 DD and it's brilliant having this on TV, normalising women doing sport, being strong, competitive etc. Ditto the winter olympics where it felt to me that the women's competitions got a lot more coverage than they used to. That also had the ice skating that I enjoy and is good from the perspective of GNC men Smile although I think that men who do sports other than the "butch" stuff get less stick these days? I think Tom Daley got bullied though didn't he? Anyway more of this all round I say (not the bullying the other stuff obviously!).

Original poster
KittyMcKitty · 15/04/2018 17:50

Mildlyattractivebetty yes Liverpool next year. There were international matches at the Copper Box at the start of the year, and league matches there in July.

If you / your dd plays league netball (affiliated under England Netball) you get discounts on tickets.

Live international netball is AMAZING - my dd found it fantastic too seeing all the pre teens and teens coming to watch with their clubs in club kits - it is so rare to be at a predominantly female sporting event.

The international players are amazing athletes with strong bodies- fantastic role models!

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Original poster
KittyMcKitty · 15/04/2018 17:52

Oh and according to my dd (they do the underneath plait thing for big matches) there are really good tutorials on YouTube.

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moofolk · 15/04/2018 22:42

Back to Netball sounds really appealing I'm slightly worried about joining though. Haven't played since school, and ditched it for football early in secondary school anyway.

misscockerspaniel · 16/04/2018 13:09

Moofolk seriously, don't be worried about doing back-to-netball. It is what it says on the tin! There will be others in the same boat as you. And now is exactly the right time to join because it is the start of a new term.

moofolk · 16/04/2018 14:12

I am going to give it a go. I do some sociable physical activity but team sports are totally different.

Wish me luck!

Justgivemesomepeace · 16/04/2018 14:16

I've played until 5 yrs ago when I had ds and had no babysitter. I'm 47 and joining a back to netball club near me. There is also walking netball but I'm not at that stage yet! Don't be worried about going back to it. There are all shapes, sizes and ages all having fun and getting fit.

RoseAndRose · 16/04/2018 14:22

I think the reasons it's not an Olympic sport are essentially the same as those which apply to cricket - not enough top-level global reach.

I think we'll see basketball in the Olympics first, because it is played in more countries.

boldlygoingsomewhere · 16/04/2018 14:24

I loved playing netball - was on the school team until I stopped growing and became surrounded by amazons.

It was a brilliant match - really fast-paced and exciting. Very tempted by back-to-netball but I am very unfit and would probably give myself a heart attack racing around. Grin

massistar · 16/04/2018 14:41

All the netball matches have been amazing in the CG! I love this sport. Still playing twice a week at 45!

The attitudes of the women playing are amazing. They go hell for leather on court but there's no arguing with the umpire, they help each other up and they hug at the end. It's truly a women's sport and better for it.

Was screaming for the Roses to win and I'm a Scotland fan!

massistar · 16/04/2018 14:42

And I urge anyone tempted to get back into the sport to go for it!

Original poster
KittyMcKitty · 16/04/2018 14:42

RoseAndRose basketball is already an Olympic sport.

boldly you’d be fine at Back to Netball I’m sure but there is always Walking Netball as an option.

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moofolk · 16/04/2018 21:18

Just watched the match on catch-up. I'm hooked. Have contacted my local Back-to-Netball I'm going to start ASAP.

Thanks for the inspiration!

As a side note, as we are chatting in feminism... I realised that what I want now is pretty much the same reason I ditched it in the first place and joined a football team - the rejection of women's / girls' things.

Not that there's anything wrong with women's football but the chauvinism of youth was such that I equated anything traditionally female with being lesser. Rather than addressing inequality by valuing women's roles more. Same has happened with childcare and domestic work.

And while I'm at it - Tracey Neville far more at the top of her game than either of her brothers but as her game is netball and not football, she doesn't seem to be buying up half of Manchester to turn into hotels.