Junior Netball

After watching the junior rugby league games this morning I observed twelve-year-old girls play a game of netball. Coming from watching the boys play, there was a notable difference in the atmosphere and level of aggression. The coaches of the netball teams seemed much more relaxed and provided more positive feedback instead of loud encouragement. Because netball is not a contact sport, there was no physical aggression between the girls and I also did not overhear any verbal aggression take place during the game. While the girls were not as aggressive as the boys, they were just as competitive and played just as hard. They continuously cheered one another on and never slowed down on the court. The parents at the netball game also behaved similarly to the parents I observed at the rugby games in that they cheered their children on but focused more on socializing and did not seem obsessed with winning at all. The players themselves did not seem concerned with winning either, and they did not show any signs of disappointment when the opposing team scored a goal or when they missed a goal when they had a chance to score one. Watching netball reminded me of my club volleyball tournaments in high school because I played in an all girls league and they took place in a relaxed atmosphere that focused more on developing skills than on the competition. One aspect of the netball I watched that I found unique was that the games lasted all day beginning with girls younger in age and ending with adults. I think that planning the tournament this way creates a great sense of community and also allows young children to watch higher-level players, which inspires them to become better players themselves. From what I saw, the netball club seemed like an enjoyable way to both learn and to play the sport with the support of parents and players of all ages.