Calling all Netball Newbies

Never heard of netball? The abbreviations “GA”, “GK” or “C” don’t ring any bells? No problem at all! Even if you haven’t the slightest clue what netball actually is or how it is played, you can still become a part of the world’s number one women’s team sport right here at Stirling University!

Netball is a sport you will probably be familiar with if you are from the UK or other Commonwealth countries. Especially in the UK and Australia, netball is very popular and played in most schools. Funnily enough however, the sport is not very well known at all in the rest of the world.

Coming from Germany, I had only ever heard of netball from my English mum’s stories about playing it back in her school days. As soon as I found out that I got a place at Stirling University, I was very keen on finding out about the different team sports on offer at the university. Admittedly, netball was initially not on the top of my list of sports I was interested in trying out. After browsing through the list of sports clubs, I was a little disappointed at first: The sport I had played for many years back home in Germany, Handball, was unfortunately not among the sports played at Stirling. Netball however was … and on quite a grand scale at that!

Stirling University Netball Club (SUNC) consists of 4 BUCS (British Universities & Colleges Sport) Teams of different abilities as well as a team that competes in the Glasgow League and a Social Team that participates in friendly matches and tournaments. This allows people of all levels to try out netball – whether you’re the competitive type or just want to have fun, there really is a place for everyone! There is no need to be scared if you have never played netball before. Before attending the club’s Give It A Go session in the second week of the semester, I had never played netball either and got on just fine. The team members and coach were all extremely friendly and happy to help out if any questions arose. If you want to find out more about the rules of netball, the International Netball Federation’s website is a great place to start. For a more visual introduction to netball, check out this YouTube video.

Joining SUNC is also a great opportunity to meet lots of new people from different backgrounds, locals and internationals alike. The club regularly socialises on nights out and organises an array of events such as themed nights, kit nights, Christmas dinner and initiation. Being part of team truly is one the best experiences in life at university; it gives you such a strong feeling of community and provides a great way of relieving stress through a fun workout. So, whether you’re a netball newbie, expert or somewhere in the middle, join us at SUNC for a game of netball!
For more information about the club get in touch via SUNC’s facebook page or just come down to training in the Gannochy Sport Hall during one of the following times:

Monday 7.30-9.00am – 1st – 4th Teams
Monday 1.00-2.00pm – 1st and 2nd’s S&C
Monday 6.30-8.00pm – Social Team
Tuesday 7.30-9.00am – Fitness – Open to all
Thursday 6.00-8.00pm – 1st and 2nd Teams

We look forward to seeing you there!