COVENTRY Rugby have announced the launch of a new community based multi-gender project – Coventry Netball.
The club are determined to improve the physical and mental well-being of young people within the Coventry and Warwickshire community.
And the Coventry Netball project will be led by the club’s head of community and netball, Wes Blair, who brings a wealth of experience to the role.
Blair said: “I’m looking to use my experience to develop a programme of Netball in the Coventry area which will increase participation numbers in primary and secondary schools, whilst also creating pathways to elite performance level for those that want to go in that direction.
“I think it’s incredibly important that we engage with Warwickshire County Netball and England Netball to further develop in the local area, some of the excellent work that they’re already doing such as the NETBALLHer initiative which focuses on female health in sport.
“We’re in a unique position with the Netball World Cup coming up in South Africa, and we’re really looking to build on that momentum within the primary and secondary schools in the area, as well as the local clubs.”
The club will provide a programme of netball that looks to increase participation and nurture talent within the Coventry Schools and the wider community.
And Coventry hope this will provide clear exit routes for players into clubs, county and performance netball.
Eventually, Coventry hope the project will establish a netball programme that builds into a specialist 16 years and above academy in the area.
The academy will nurture all levels, from grassroots participation to elite performance netball players with the goal to develop skills in a professional and inclusive environment.
And the club will look to collaborate with Warwickshire County Netball and other key agencies to identify coaches and create clear exit routes for young players.
Coventry Rugby CEO, Nick Johnston, added: “At Coventry Rugby we pride ourselves on how diverse and inclusive we are, and this exciting new programme reinforces this.
“The people of Coventry and Warwickshire are very important to us, so to provide another community multi gender sport-based project was a no brainer from an investment perspective.
“We are very fortunate to have Wes Blair on board, not only leading this programme but also the wider community programme.
“Wes is an outstanding individual and has a proven successful track record in her field.
“I am sure our loyal spectator base, our outstanding existing community, and commercial partners like me are very excited to see this programme develop and maybe one day in future Coventry Netball will have the opportunity to become a netball super league team, full of home-grown talent like our rugby team.”
