Ladies in Consett are keeping fit and enjoying success in team sport through their local Back to Netball club with help from Move4Life.
Consett Steelers Netball Club meets every Monday evening in Belle Vue Leisure and Arts Centre in Consett where ladies of all ages enjoy an hour’s fitness class, concentrating on core work, strength and conditioning with netball skills and drills, followed by an hour of netball training.
The group started life as a partnership between the HITS project (Health Improvement Though Sport) and England Netball’s Back to Netball scheme which has evolved into Consett Steelers Netball Club.
Tracey Hutchinson, 35 of Consett is a police officer and fitness trainer and says she couldn’t imagine her life without the netball club now.
“We started as a group of girls who hadn’t played netball since school. Netball is now part of my life and I can’t imagine not playing.
“I do classes and go running but it is the team feeling I like. The girls are great and are all friendly so we have a good bond. We socialise together too and I look forward to training on a Monday and playing in matches on a Thursday.”
Tracey Hutchinson (left) and Catherine Ridley (right)
Captain Catherine Ridley, 38, of Blackhill, Co Durham, said: “I love team games, it is far more motivational than exercising on your own. I love the support and there’s a good bunch of girls here who take part and we have fun.”
Ladies from fifteen-years-old upwards can come along and some mothers and daughters take part together. Both Tracey and Catherine play with their sisters. Each hour is optional so you can attend the first exercise hour or just the netball training session that follows.
Julie Donnelly, 44, a teaching assistant of Blackhill, Consett plays with her daughters 15-year-old Faye and Eve, 17.
“The girls played netball for another team since they were 11 years old and I started playing with Back To Netball in April last year which is now the Steelers. The girls enticed me to come along and play in a tournament as they were short. I really enjoyed it and went back again.
“My daughters followed me to the group as they wanted some extra training. They really liked the sociable and welcoming group of women and they get a lot out of it.
Meanwhile Sarah Barsby, 15, of Consett encouraged her mum to join the club.
“She was thinking about coming and I said ‘if you don’t go now you never will’. She came along and has got a lot more out of it than I thought she would.
“I enjoy having her there. We click when we are on the pitch and just know where the other is going to go.”
Her mum Kath, 48, added: “It is lovely that we play netball together as we have the same group of friends to share. The fitness aspect is great too as it is all ages there which is really nice.
“Sarah plays netball for various teams and kept saying I should give it a try. I had watched her playing for a long time and wanted to get fit so I joined in January. Some of Sarah’s friends have started too and it is a great atmosphere with all ages.”
Tracey (left) and Catherine (right)
The HITS project which was funded through the County Durham Move4Life programme established and funded the Consett Group until this year when their coach and the players have sustained the sessions themselves.
HITS also runs a similar group in partnership with Back to Netball at the Louisa Centre in Stanley with over 40 ladies.
If you are interested in joining the Consett or Stanley netball Groups please call HITS on 01207 218505. If you would like more information on BacktoNetball across the Durham region please contact Fiona Johnson on 07809 375829 or email fiona.johnson@englandnetball.co.uk
For more information about other Move4Life programmes visit http://www.countydurhamsport.com/physical_activity/move4life
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