When all netballers played ‘like ladies’
Forty-five-years and still going strong is Sylvia Smith, the secretary of the Morrinsville netball centre.
The 62-year-old continues to love the sport she has grown up with and has no intention of stopping any time soon.
‘‘I just enjoy it, I feel like I am giving back to the centre after what I gained from when I was a rep player,’’ said Smith.
There have been a few noticeable changes with the sport since she began play at the age of nine, especially the physicality, ’’back in my day we played like ladies, but now it’s becoming more of a contact, physical sport, which it shouldn’t be, but that is what it’s getting to be and it’s a shame.
‘‘We use to train but nothing like the girls do now like going to gym’s and we didn’t have physios in our day, they have all the modcons these days’’.
Another struggle for the netball club is finding people to give their time to the sport.
‘‘It’s getting harder and harder to get volunteers these days, harder and harder to get people on-board and do it voluntary which we are in the moment’’.
There is a positive with Morrinsville retaining good playing numbers.
‘‘We don’t want to be losing players to other sports, as these days girls can have access to far
‘‘I just enjoy it, I feel like I amgiving back to the centre after what I gained from when I was a rep player.’’
more sports.
‘‘In our day we had one winter and one summer sport but these days they can play basketball and other sports instead of concentrating on the one.’’
The former Morrinsville and Waikato representative admits the social aspect of netball that helps keep her going.
‘‘Meeting people through the years either playing in teams or managing them.
‘‘It’s the friendship and meeting up with people again’’.
Smith hasn’t seen any Silver Ferns originate through the centre as of yet but isn’t giving up hope that one day there might be someone that does, especially as she’s seen generation after generation come through the gates including her nieces and great nieces.
In 1994 Smith was became a life member of the Morrinsville netball centre and then in 2005 she was awarded New Zealand Service award for her contribution to netball.