Heather Crouch MBE, one of England Netball’s most significant leaders of the past 40 years, has died following an 18 month battle with a brain tumour. She was 61. Head England coach during the 1980s, Heather was described as a “coach before her time” for her introduction of new training regimes and sports science support which changed the way which athletes approached the game. Her 40 year career spanned coaching, coach education and furthering the role of netball in the wider sporting agenda via lobbying and membership of several national sporting boards. In addition to creating Coaching Award programmes and the UK Coaching Certificate, she was named British National Association of National Coaches “Coach of the Year” in 1989 – the same year in which her highly influential book “Coaching Netball” was published. She was appointed Chair of Sports Coach UK in 2008, and also served for many years as Vice Chair of England Netball, as well as Chair of Netball South West, driving the region to deliver far in excess of any other region in the UK. A tribute page has been set up on the Netball South West website at www.netballsouthwest.co.uk and a memorial celebration will be held in the New Year in the Taunton area.
New Zealand’s young Fastnet Ferns side triumphed at last weekend’s World Netball Series (WNS) competition in Liverpool, defeating an experienced England line up 28-26 in the final to successfully defend their WNS title. Despite a loss to Australia in their opening game of the competition, as well as suffering a scare against Malawi, the Kiwi side (a mix of fringe Silver Ferns and age group players) soon found its feet and held off a spirited challenge from Jamaica in the semi-finals to emerge 29-28 winners. England defeated the young Australia side, comprising many emerging players, 26-25 in the other semi final. And there was further disappointment for the Australians in the 3rd / 4th play off, in which they lost a thrilling match to Jamaica 30-29.
The Pakistan Olympic Association and KPK Olympic Association have announced that netball for both men and women will be included in the 31st National Games 2010, to be held from 25-31 December in Peshawar. Teams taking part include Army, Police, Navy, Railways, Wapda, Sindh, Punjab, KPK, Baluchistan and Islamabad.
The Botswana Netball Association (BONA) in conjuction with Spar Group will host the finals of the 2010 Spar 'Good for you' Netball League this weekend. The finals will feature Botswana's top four teams: BDF Cats, Notwane & UB Crystals from the South Zone and TASC from the Northern Zone, who will be competing for a prize of P15,000 (approx $2,200 US) and a perpetual trophy.
Defending champions the University of the West Indies are among six Jamaican teams travelling to Florida this weekend to take part in the Florida Netball Classics competition. The Jamaican teams will face sides from across the Caribbean as well as America in the two day competition, which offers a cash prize to the winners.
Finally, in Scotland, Shetland Ladies Netball Association has announced that, as part of the 30th anniversary celebrations for the senior intercounty fixture between Shetland and Orkney, a friendly veterans’ game will take place on 5 March 2011 in Kirkwall, to coincide with the annual interisland fixture. Any player aged 40 or over who has played in a previous intercounty fixture and is interested in taking part should contact Andrea Tait on +44 1595 695195 before 3 December for further information.
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