A place where you can be something other than a mother, daughter or sister
If you are looking to test your agility, speed and precision, netball could help develop those skills while building resilience, confidence and persistence. Meet the women behind one Townsville club >>
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IF you are looking to test your agility, speed and precision, netball could help develop those skills while building resilience, confidence and persistence.
Netball was originally developed in England as a derivative of basketball and dates back to the late 1800s.
Phoenix Netball Club president Deb Eastlake has been playing netball since she was five years old and is also a premier league coach and an umpire at the club.
In Ms Eastlake’s case, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree as her mother was also the president of her netball club when she was a little girl.
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Ms Eastlake said playing netball had given her “friendship, sanity and fitness” and was a sport in which players could play without judgment.
“I just think it is a sense of community and it is one of the only truly female sports left in the country and it gives you a sense of sisterhood and family and competition and sportsmanship,” she said.
“It is a place where you can be something other than a mother, daughter or sister and no one cares about that if you are wearing a netball bib.”
Ms Eastlake’s 13-year-old daughter, Georgia, is also a netball player and has been playing at the club since she was seven years old.
Ms Eastlake has just accepted a position as a delivery network lead with Netball Queensland and said she had dreamt of working in the netball industry her whole life.
“I did my undergrad in business and commerce and majored in leadership and management and knew that would be transferable to netball,” she said.
“I thought I was doing all the work for my daughter to work in sport, if she wanted to do so, so it has come a bit earlier than I expected.”
The former business manager coached her first grand final team last year and said she cherished the role to teach the next generation to be netball champions.
“I love being able to influence young women and be a leader to show them what they are capable of and help them believe in themselves and enjoy the sport,” she said.
Ms Eastlake’s dedication to the sport has resulted in many accolades, including winning the statewide Spirit of Netball award.
How to join
Contact name: Deb Eastlake
Number: 0405 825 849
E-mail: phoenixnetball@gmail.com
Registration inquiries: phoenixnetballregistrar@gmail.com
Facebook: Phoenix Netball Townsville
Address: William Angliss Drive, Annandale
When: Seniors - Tuesdays, Juniors - Wednesdays
Membership: Seniors $405, Juniors $425
Originally published as A place where you can be something other than a mother, daughter or sister