Some of my fondest childhood memories involve a netball and a slightly lopsided makeshift ring my dad built in the backyard.
I remember spending hours and hours shooting out the back on hot summer nights, with the kind of focus and determination reserved for 10-year-old girls.
I was short. I was weak. And I wasn’t very good.
Mum would take us to watch the Sydney Swifts, and we sat in awe as they played a game that look absolutely nothing like whatever we had been playing on the weekends.
I don’t think anything in life has taught me resilience, grit and the power of determination like netball did.
A campaign recently launched by Samsung Australia perfectly encapsulates the culture of netball, and the significance it has for young girls trying to find themselves.
Entitled ‘Rethink Role Models‘, the campaign challenges our propensity to idolise misbehaving celebrities, social media personalities and irresponsible sports stars.
It would seem netball is having a long-awaited moment, with Channel 9 recently announcing that it will be airing netball – for the first time – live and during primetime.
I challenge anyone who still questions the legitimacy of women’s sport to watch this campaign.
The Australian Diamonds, with their courage, skill, and incomparable determination, are the kind of role models we want for our daughters.
Top Comments
Surely not many people have said that women's sport isn't important??
Nobody is saying women's sport isn't important. It's just not followed as much. As it isn't racist to not broadcast bocchi and it's not ageist to not broadcast lawn bowls in prime time, it's not sexist to not run more women's sport: it's about ratings.
There are more women than men in this country, if women got behind women's sport at the same rate they do mens sport, the networks would show more women's sport. Come on ladies, get behind your team.
Exactly. If you like your sport, then support it and get the crowd numbers, then the TV ratings and then the money for the athletes will follow.
The only time I have seen women here, on one of the largest womans site in Australia show any interest in sport is if it involves something like Sam Newman saying stupid things, a love triangle, money or what a female sports commentator was wearing.
Just watch some womens sports.