Netball a bunch of basketcases? :: Wessex Scene Online

Netball a bunch of basketcases?

15th December 2006

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Nov 06 - Passes, precedents, future?
Oct 06 - Return to hockey glory?
Nov 07 - Get your kit off!
Oct 07 - Horseplay in the AU
Nov 05 - Netball Freshers storm the courts

It has been brought to our attention that the perception of the Southampton University Netball Club within the Athletic Union is somewhat, on occasions, derogatory. However, we want you to take three or four minutes while reading this article to clear your mind, and we’ll give you an inside peak to what, and who, the girls of SUNC really are.

For many of you, netball has an image from Year Six upwards of including the best looking, ‘ra-ra’ girls in the school/club/university and that they can be quite bitchy. However SUNC are further away from this image than you could even begin to imagine. We believe this described persona has only been heightened this year by our success in the BUSA tables, with each of our three teams being in promotional positions at time of printing.

This success is a result of a competitive trials weekend and around four hundred girls signing up at the annual bunfight. However, less that one in twenty of the girls were given a place in one of our four teams within the Club. Due to coaching, training space limitations and the high standards of match play, selection is a tough process for both the committee and Freshers (especially after the hard core Freshers’ Week this university is renowned for). This is heightened by the fact that the majority of Club members have played to a county level, which is something that not many AU clubs can boast.

SUNC cannot be seen as a cliquey club, as we are out in force every Wednesday either with another club or individually, always in high spirits. As well as going out to Jesters on Wednesday nights, our non-drinking socials are just as popular, if not more so, than when celebrating our Wednesday successes. This just proves that our love for netball, and snakebite, is not the only thing we have in common as a club. A recent Ann Summers party was a favourite for all, as it is for (stereo)typical girls; full of girly giggles and gossip.

Almost half of the SUNC girls travelled to Rimini with several Wessex sports team last Easter, which we all thoroughly enjoyed. We were not a club to keep to ourselves, preferring rather to drink, dance and cause general mischief and debauchery with all the other Wessex clubs, pulling together to show all other universities that yes, we are the best University.

The success and friendly atmosphere of the tour was further proved by the fact that another twenty girls are travelling to Salou this year to relive the best six days of our university lives.

As well as being team mates, most of the girls are closest of friends, socialising out of sports hours. However this does not suggest a cliquey club, as most of the netball girls share houses with rugby boys, football boys, swimmers etc. Our inter-club relations are a final point to highlight the fact that we do not keep to ourselves, instead we are out socialising!

Overall the Netball Club do not feel that these categorisations are only aimed at our team. Most women teams are pigeon-holed derogatively at this university in many different ways. If an all-women team aren’t ‘bitchy’, then they are probably ‘butch lesbians’ - from one extreme to another. All of these labels are grossly unfair when the clubs are some of the most successful clubs in Wessex; and we are proud of it. You may hear us before you see us on all occasions, but why can’t we be proud of the successful club we are?