History of Sedbergh School in 50 Objects #38: Netball Tour
With the arrival of girls came a sport never before played at Sedbergh. Sedbergh’s netballers hit the ground running. It was immediately clear that the approach of the netball players and their coach, Miss Hayley Crawshaw, was to be ambitious and competitive from the start.
As the Headmaster put it a few years later, Sedbergh’s netballers ‘achieved local excellence in very little time’. In their first season, the girls all showed great determination and commitment, whatever their previous experience or ability, although their participation in the National Schools’ County Competition in 2002 proved a sobering experience. By their third season the team was crowned champions of Cumbria, having beaten all opponents in the county finals. At the Hymers’ Festival the same team again won all of their matches – impressive work.
A landmark was reached in 2006 when all Sedbergh’s age-group sides reached the North-West Regional Finals. With such enthusiasm and commitment to the sport it was time for Sedbergh’s first overseas netball tour. 26 girls and 4 staff set off to St Lucia to play an ambitious programme of fixtures:
Mrs Christy, née Crawshaw, picks up the story:
‘Our first match proved a real shock, particularly as we had not yet acclimatised to the heat (a far cry from Sedbergh). Our fourth day was the most memorable, with a carnival like atmosphere with locals mingling with our girls and music playing in the breaks (as normally witnessed during ice –hockey timeouts). This is how netball should be played! Our girls were fantastic with the local children, and we donated several balls and items of tour kit to those who needed it more than we did.
It was a great experience to see two such contrasting styles of netball, with the St Lucians being very athletic and physical, and certainly out jumping our girls. They played a very aerial game while we tried to beat them using fast sharp chest passes. The girls were fine ambassadors for Sedbergh School and made many friends in St Lucia.’
As well as matches the tour included snorkeling, a jeep safari and the chance to ride on a rain forest zip wire. This memorable tour, creating parity for the first time between boys and girls sport at Sedbergh and offering girls the chance to travel internationally in their own right was an important moment in Sedbergh’s history.
Netball continues to go from strength to strength. Sedbergh field’s 12 teams offering opportunities for both performance netball – where Sedbergh’s A teams compete for success – and social netball, for pupils who simply enjoy the game. Sedbergh’s current Netball Coach, Megan Ascough is on the coaching team at Manchester Thunder, and many of the Sedberghian girls in her care go on to play at the highest level. Recent leaver Ella Bowen (Robertson House 2018 – 20) currently plays for the Leeds Rhinos Superleague team and has International caps for England.
“For me, success isn’t solely defined by winning matches, but by witnessing growth, development, and the resilience needed to overcome challenges. I want every player to understand that mistakes are a natural part of the learning journey, and that fear of failure should never hold them back from trying something new.” “I want to create an environment that gives each and every player the opportunity to develop and challenge their own abilities to be the best they can be but to also make them feel a part of our Netball Family.”
Megan Ascough, Head of Netball