Netball Chat with Linda Bunch

OUR game has changed dramatically since its inception in England in the late 1890s.

In 1895 women adapted changes to the game of basketball to enable them to play in long skirts, bustle backs, nipped waists, button up shoes and leg-of-mutton sleeves.

Australia won the first world tournament hosted by England in 1963 and will be looking to take their 11th outright win with the modern style game in the upcoming 15th Netball World Cup.

I enjoyed interesting conversations with some Warwick netball senior players this week regarding how the game and style in which it's played has changed.

No longer is netball a non-contact sport. It is a body against body highly energetic, fast paced, action filled sport bringing the players' abilities and physical skills to the forefront.

So much so, spectators of the Suncorp Super Netball thoroughly enjoy the game without specific netball knowledge.

The player's role is to make their opponent's life difficult for the duration of the game, and to impede their desired outcome of winning.

For me and most players, the joy of our game (at all levels) is this on court battle of skills and abilities.

We want to outplay the opposition, to take home that little mental trophy of "yep, I did it” or "well, they won today, but not easily”.

Team members play to the best of their abilities and at the end of the game we shake hands, acknowledge good play, and look forward to the next game.

There are 21 days to the Netball World Cup and players making opponents' lives hard on the netball court.