League stalwarts honoured

Netball

Lynne Gray, of Ashford League club Breakaways, has received the Needham Rider Award for services to Kent youth netball.

The presentation was made at the county annual meeting where the league’s chairman, Dawn Cox, was also honoured – for her long association with the sport. She was presented with life membership.

Lynne has been recognised for her work and contribution in developing Breakaways where she started as a player in 1999, before establishing the junior section with just 10 girls.

The club now boasts a Silver CAPS (Club Action Planning Scheme) Award and has three qualified Level 2 coaches and three coaching assistants.

Lynne gradually developed the under-11 to under-18 section which began in 2005, to the present junior membership of 80 players. She is also a county academy coach delivering England Netball’s latest initiative for promising under-12s and has been a volunteer coach for 17 years.

Dawn, who describes herself as a self confessed ‘netball nut’, has served on the Kent League committee since 2004.

She was elected to the Ashford League committee in 1995 before becoming chairman in 2000. Dawn Cox, made a life member of Kent Netball, is pictured with county president Roger Perham