Netball Team From Thundersley Shoots And Scores

Mollie Gray : “To know how to have fun, be positive, and motivate.”

 

What would you say if I told you that, contrary to popular belief, the majority of professional players and coaches do not consider having a full team as a salient, observable, principal part of their sessions? Would you be shocked?

 

Despite not having enough members for a complete team and relying on ratio, the girls of DNG (Deanes Netball Girls) in Thundersley prove themselves just as well - their spirits, competitiveness and personalities compliment themselves together, and lend themselves to a more-than-perfect team. The school students ranging from twelve to fourteen challenge themselves every weekend to work and progress through their self-decided specific skills and fitness, which consists of not only passing, not only shooting, not only position learning, but turning in the air, and attacking, studying to be as light as feathers on their toes. 

 

Their dedication takes them to Deanes School every Saturday morning from 10-11am, but these eager girls do not need a set schedule or a particular amount of time to lead themselves to their targets, as with two trainers (Mollie Gray, with a level one qualification in netball coaching, and Leia Kinch, with a level three multi-sport qualification) and all-around willingness, they have made and completed their own netball curriculum, which they work through every week without fail. 

 

Despite being there for netball, the players leave for home with more than scratches and slight bruises on them (showcasing their tough grind), as there is a heavy emphasis on social aspects : Mollie Gray shares that one of her multiple aims was “to get all the girls to have the same positivity,” and not only for them to “find a passion and love netball.” Noticeably, both coaches are not always at the workshop together, but they clearly show and state their communication skills (“We communicate a lot” - Mollie), which the girls have admirably taken on. This is significantly shown in their games, as from their first session back in June to now, not only have they adapted, but they have the confidence to call for each other when needed in game play, benefiting not only themselves but the entire team!

 

At the end, their progress is celebrated with not just one congratulatory post on Facebook, which includes videos displaying their hard work, but yet a fun tiktok, rewarding the girls with something of their own style.