Shooting
Stars
Shooting
Stars
This year marks a remarkable milestone as England Netball celebrates 100 years of shaping a sport that’s always been unapologetically female. One century on, journalist Sally Shore discovers how the game has continued to evolve and puts women’s health at the heart of everything they do
When the Vitality Roses, England’s official women’s netball team, take on Jamaica’s Sunshine Girls this November at London’s Copper Box Arena, all eyes will be on its superstar players as they deliver their incredible skills, prowess and flair on the court to win (fingers crossed) the Vitality Netball Horizon Series, which returns for its third year.
“Training has been intense, but we’ve had a good amount of time to nail the basics and clean up the stuff that held us back at this year’s Commonwealth Games,” says Liv Tchine, Vitality Roses’ Vice Captain. “The Jamaican team has a lot of confidence, and rightfully so. I'm looking forward to having another opportunity to play against a top five nation, and most importantly, play our game to the best.”
One thing’s for sure – there will be plenty of fast-paced action for the crowds. And it’s a far cry from the delicate game played by ladies in the early 20th century, where they wore long heavy skirts, stiff ties, buttoned-up blouses and straw boaters, and paused for half-time refreshments of tea and elderflower cordial.
As England Netball, the national governing body for the sport, celebrates its centenary this year, many netball fans, from grassroots players to elite athletes, have been reflecting on how much the game has changed, even in recent times.
“Netball has grown enormously since I first became involved in the sport,” says Tracey Neville, Vitality Ambassador, who as their former Head Coach, led the England team to win gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. “When I started playing, there weren't the same opportunities for girls and women to play professionally or to see sport as a genuine career. I remember looking at my brothers and seeing the opportunities they had in football and thinking how different it was for women in sport.”
According to England Netball, it’s the most-played team sport for women with three million people taking to the court annually. The centenary year also marks its most successful decade – from the women’s England team securing silver at the Netball World Cup in 2023 (their first-ever appearance in the final), to their historic gold-medal triumph at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
On the global stage, accolades poured in following the team’s victory at the games with prestigious awards like the BBC’s Sports Personality ‘Team of the Year’ and Sunday Times Sports Women ‘Team of the Year’.
“The 2018 Commonwealth Games gold was a massive catalyst,” says Neville. “It showed what was possible and gave netball a much bigger platform. We had an opportunity to capitalise on that success and make people who perhaps hadn't watched netball before, sit up and take notice.”
“Netball has grown enormously since I first became involved in the sport”
- Tracey Neville, Vitality Ambassador and former Head Coach
Since then, milestones have included Liverpool hosting the Vitality Netball World Cup in 2019 and the Vitality Roses securing spots in the 2022 and 2026 Commonwealth Games to record-breaking crowds, as well as landing partnerships with global brands.
On the 3 October, Vitality Roses’ Fran Williams, Amy Carter, Ella Clark, Alice Harvey and Jayda Pechová joined the National Centenary ONE Awards celebrations in Birmingham – this annual event shines a spotlight on the volunteers, organisations and projects at the heart of the sport. Following regional awards earlier this year, the 2026 national winners will be revealed after having their nominations reviewed by a judging panel including Hall of Fame members, Honorary Life Members, sports leaders, volunteers and England Netball President, Eboni Usoro-Brown.
“What I love about the Centenary ONE Awards is that they recognise the people who make netball happen,” says Neville. “We talk a lot about elite players and big performances, but behind every successful sport there are thousands of people giving their time coaching, organising, volunteering and creating opportunities.”
Like many professional players, Tchine rose through the ranks of netball through a talent pathway designed to nurture grassroots players for the international stage. “I first got into netball at primary school at an after-school club, but only took it seriously in Year 8 at Sabina Netball Club. My coach at the time, Marlene, and the team inspired me to play competitively.
“What I love about netball is that it breaks the stigma of girls and women not being able to be themselves and be athletes. I can still be a girl, but still be very competitive, athletic, strong, fierce on court and play at the highest level”
- Liv Tchine, Vitality Roses
What lies ahead for England Netball?
One of the biggest challenges is that women’s sport has historically had less investment, visibility and commercial opportunity than men’s sport says Fran Connolly, Chief Executive Officer at England Netball. “We’ve seen huge progress, but there’s still work to do and ensure women and girls have equal opportunities.
One initiative has been the NETBALLHer women’s health and wellness hub featuring myth-busting articles, relatable stories and go-to advice – from periods to choosing kit. Many people stop playing netball at key life stages, so this resource aims to normalise conversations and tackle knowledge gaps.
“Women and girls face different barriers at different stages of their lives, whether that’s confidence, time, cost, family commitments or changes such as pregnancy and menopause,” explains Connolly. “Through our NETBALLHer work, we’re looking at how we can better understand and address those barriers, making sure netball continues to evolve so that it remains relevant, accessible and welcoming throughout every stage of a woman’s life.
“In five years, we’d love to see Vitality Roses becoming the number one netball team in the world and filling the biggest arenas across the country, as well as a thriving domestic league that commands attention. We want every girl who takes to the court to stay with us through puberty, return after pregnancy and keep playing through walking netball into her 90s.”
“We’ve seen huge progress, but there’s still work to do and ensure women and girls have equal opportunities”
- Fran Connolly, Chief Executive Officer at England Netball
Ways to play netball as an adult
If you haven’t played netball since school, you might be surprised to discover there’s now different ways to play including Walking Netball to Back to Netball sessions, which are designed to be fun and light-hearted. Vitality’s Active Women, Healthy Lives report found that 65% of the women surveyed didn’t enjoy exercise, so why not give netball a go?
“You don't realise that you’re doing physical exercise as you're so absorbed in the game, which is perfect for a person like me who doesn't find exercise classes or using the gym much fun. There's plenty of laughter, too, which is good for the soul. All ages and abilities can easily take part. We've had young adults joining their grandparents for the occasional game as well as players into their late 70s.”
- Kathy Rowden, from Exeter, who plays Walking Netball
