Courting success with two new netball teams

Coaching sessions to encourage more girls to play netball have scored such a hit with youngsters - and their Mums - that new junior and ladies teams will be created in the autumn.

Last November Staffordshire Moorlands District Council teamed up with Tean Valley Netball Club, Parkwood Leisure and three local schools to offer new after-school coaching sessions at Brough Park Leisure Centre in Leek.

Over 50 girls aged between nine and 15 turned up to the first session and since then numbers have continued to increase. Seven months later there are now three separate sessions and over 70 girls on the programme.

Councillor Mike Bowen joined some of the girls at a recent training session to celebrate their success.

He said: "Taking part in sport and increasing activity levels has many wide ranging benefits from making new friends to boosting health and wellbeing which is why the Council invests in a variety of leisure opportunities aimed at encouraging people to get moving.

"These netball coaching sessions have proved to be enormously popular and I'm delighted that so many girls are taking part. Their lead has proved so inspirational that we've now introduced a coaching sessions for ladies and we'll be creating two new squads in September.

"It's a great result all round and I'd like to thank the coaches from Tean Valley Netball Club, Parkwood Leisure, England Netball and Lynne Batigan, the Head of PE at St Edwards Academy for making this such a success."

Anyone interested in joining the coaching sessions can email david.stock@highpeak.gov.uk for more details.