Volunteers 'immensely proud' of new Kenilworth netball club - but more is to come
By James Smith
31st Jan 2024 | Sports Features
Volunteers behind a new community netball club in Kenilworth are "immensely proud" at what has been achieved in just six months - but are still encouraging more youngsters and volunteers to get involved.
Some 100 young girls from the local area now playing for Kenilworth Town Netball, which was launched in June 2023 to provide fun and accessible sport to the community.
Launched off the back of the new leadership team at Kenilworth Town Football Club, the new set up has been a huge success.
And while pleased with what has already come, volunteers who run the club are looking to sign up more players, and volunteer coaches and helpers across Kenilworth.
"We realised there was no local provision for girls netball, and where there was it was hard for young girls to get involved because it was oversubscribed," Kenilworth Town Juniors club chairman Marcus Leek told Nub News.
"And like the football, what we wanted to achieve was all about having fun and being as inclusive as possible."
"So we set up Kenilworth Town Netball, from an initial group of eight we are at nearly 100 families since June."
The club says it is getting around five new members every week, and now has three teams competing in the Coventry and Warwickshire League, with more in the pipeline.
Kenilworth Town Netball - which plays at Kenilworth School - covers age groups from under sevens to under 15's and says it prides itself on being inclusive.
The club has also recently had a visit from Mayor of Kenilworth Cllr Alix Dearing, who was very complimentary of the new set up.
"My overriding feelings are of pride of what the coaches and the group have managed to do to establish a place for girls to come and play team sport," said Mela Leek; Kenilworth Town Netball Lead.
"I am really proud that all the girls are having fun.
"Yes they are playing great netball, but they are all having fun.
"We are trying to be incredibly inclusive, for us it is not about the results on the court at this stage.
"And with no emphasis on that, we are still winning games and being competitive. So that culture of fun before anything is brilliant."
As well as a fun, adults team for netball returners (playing on Tuesday evenings at Kenilworth School), the club is also launching a new girls football section - and again is looking for more youngsters & volunteers to get involved.
Kenilworth Town also last year helped organise and promote the Lionesses Cup, a knock-out competition between girls teams from local primary schools, which was a big hit.
But for Marcus and the team at Kenilworth Town, the main goal will be to continue to provide an inclusive space for local youngsters to play team sport.
"Early March last year we got a new leadership group involved with a very clear ethos," he said.
"Our mission was to be a community club that helps enrich sport, provide social opportunities for kids in Kenilworth and the local area - to be a positive part of the local community, and help local groups however we can.
"We have gone from there, starting with the boys' football – we now have around 180 families involved on the football side; up from 130 last March - and we are expecting to expand these further. And we are really, really keen to get girls football up and running too,
"Of course, the netball has been a great success – and a massive thank you to all of the amazing club coaches and volunteers that have made this possible."
To find out more, or to get involved as a player, coach or volunteer, contact Mela ([email protected]); Deep ([email protected]) or Marcus ([email protected])
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