Xmas Fun Camp went down a storm

The East Midland’s premier netball team, Loughborough Lightning, hosted a Christmas Fun Camp last weekend (Saturday 15th Dec), at Loughborough University, to help young girls from the region improve their skills and see how much fun netball and keeping active can be.

Over 60 girls, aged 12-16, travelled from all over the East Midlands to attend the camp, sponsored by Imago, which was completely sold out. Players from the Lightning first team, who are currently on a Christmas break from the Co-operative Netball Superleague, took the girls through their paces, practising skills and playing fun games, completing the day with a mini-tournament.

Player – coach, Olivia Murphy, was there on the day, she said, “We think it is really important to nurture the netball talent that we have in the East Midlands and we try to run training and fun camps, like this one, a few times a year.

“The camps give young girls the opportunity to meet some of the top netball players in the country, picking up tips and realising that if they work hard they could become a Lightning player one day.”

Rosie Thomas, 14, from Loughborough, is a member of Charnwood Netball Club, she said, “I thought that the Christmas Camp was really fun and it gave us the opportunity to meet up with people from all over the area that play netball. I live locally, but some had come all the way from places like Skegness and Lincoln!

“We got the chance to play some of the Lightning team – although they had to play with certain rules, such as only allowed to throw and catch with one hand, or having to skip instead of run - that was very entertaining! Even so, they still managed to beat us. Everyone there was very helpful, and I am definitely going to go to a session again.”

Chloe Gibson, from England Netball, is instrumental in setting the camps up. She said, “The emphasis on this camp was fun. We want the girls that come to see how much enjoyment can be had from playing netball and exercising. That is what will keep their interest and keep them playing sport.

“There has been a lot of press recently that says how unappealing young girls find sport. A reluctance to get involved in sport and exercise is having an impact on their health and fitness of this part of our society. Camps like this one will hopefully help to dispel the myth that sport is only for boys and reinforce the message that sport is not only good for you, it is also fun.”

Loughborough Lightning is currently sitting in second place in the Co-operative Netball Superleague. The team’s next game is on 5th January 2008 away against the Brunel Hurricanes. The team’s next home game is on 12th January against the Celtic Dragons.

Tickets are available in advance on the ticket hotline, Tel: 01509 226250, or through the website: www.loughboroughlightning.com or on the door (depending on availability) at Netball Centre. At £5 a ticket for adults and £3 for concessions, the game works out as a bargain priced night out for all.