Oundle Walking Netball Tournament

Eleanor Udall • October 25, 2024

These gatherings of netballers just absolutely lift your spirit!

Saturday 21^st September 2024 saw teams from across the East Midlands take part in a Walking Netball Festival at Oundle School Sports Centre in Northamptonshire. 8 teams competed in a round robin format of which, then seeded the teams into the afternoon of ‘In it” to Win it’ and ‘Wiggles & Giggles’ groupings.

Over 80 players, volunteers and staff attended and delivered the event with the youngest volunteers being 9 &13 years of age. The young volunteers were granddaughters of one of our volunteer umpires Debbie Edwards, Isla Niamh and Sophia who kindly took the role of scorers for both courts throughout the day. The teams were impressed with their skills and said they are our future technical officials of netball.

Three of the teams competed in their very first Walking Netball Festival and thoroughly enjoyed the wiggles, giggles and meeting new like-minded ladies! The Winners from each group were presented with a winning England Netball Seed Medal, which can be planted to grow wildflowers. For each purchased medal a tree is planted, to which the ladies gave a big heart felt ‘awwww ’ approval during the medal presentation, they thought it was a great idea to continue in supporting our environment and a great way to remember their day.

Some ladies shared their thoughts:

It was a great festival, thanks to all who organised and helped make it such a great day (Hazel Mc)

The tournament at Oundle was fabulous just what we needed; I think. These gatherings of netballers just absolutely lift your spirit! Long may we continue to meet and play at such wonderful facilities like Oundle (Joy W)

A huge thank you goes to our volunteers, hosts / team managers and captains for rallying their players together and to the players who helped out teams if they were short of players, they day was filled with lots of fun and team spirit. A special thank you goes to ‘Oundle Sports School Centre’ for their continued partnership and in-kind contribution to the event and so the staff who supported throughout the day. Finally a heartfelt thank you to Louise, Megan and Claire from the East Midlands team for their support and hard work.

Kelly Thomson

England Netball Development Officer - Northamptonshire

Results:

‘In it to win it.’

1. Barton Bees - Blue (Northamptonshire)

2. Towcester Toasters (Northamptonshire)

3. Loughborough Ladybirds (Leicestershire)

4. MellPort Ladies (Nottinghamshire)

‘Wiggles & Giggles’

1. Straycats (Lincolnshire)

2. Oundle Chucklers (Northamptonshire)

3. Freedom Flyers (Northamptonshire)

4. Barton Bees – Yellows (Northamptonshire)

Best of luck to the ladies taking part in our next Walking Netball Festival on Monday 28th October! Keep an eye on our social media for our December festival sign up...

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By Eleanor Udall • March 27, 2025

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