A Deep Dive into the Progression of Women’s Netball
Progressing from just 5 recreational players to a team of 80, and an upcoming national league debut, the growth of women’s netball at St Andrews is an achievement that truly deserves to be celebrated. Director of Netball Sally Sandison shared how far the game has come from her years as captain of the university team to the present day as their coach.
From reflecting on her time as a player, Sandison shares how far the club has come technically, demanding a higher level of commitment and sacrifice from the team than in her years on court. She adds that players are now expected to book 1-to-1 sessions and conduct video analysis of their performances, demonstrating the positive shift and technical advancement of the netball game on the university stage, with a new level of dedication required from the squad players. Alongside these practices, Sandison sets high standards for her teams, with the understanding that these expectations also apply to her as a coach and are “reflective of who they aspire to be as women”. In light of this, she promotes an open-door policy for players to candidly communicate if these standards begin to slip, respectfully holding each other accountable to maintain a focused and dedicated culture.
Prior to Sandison’s appointment, the women’s netball teams were effectively a student-run sport for a year, with no director to guide them after the previous one departed. Sandison mentioned that it was a huge priority for her when she initially stepped into the role to establish a strong club culture among the group, with a philosophy based on “not just developing the players as athletes but to become amazing women.”
One of the ways she introduced these cultural shifts into the team was through providing wellness questionnaires to her players to help identify and track any mental or physical factors that may affect their playing abilities, gaining a better understanding of their personal well-being and fostering a supportive relationship between Sandison and her team.
During her 4 years, the community that has been built between the players is evident, as Sandison praises how the players champion each other both on and off the court. For Sandison, this is an essential part of creating a successful squad bonded through friendship and respect.
The progression of the sport in St Andrews is extremely prominent, with the university becoming the first in the country to appoint a full-time Director of Netball in 2017. Sandison wishes to build on this remarkable development, aspiring for Saints Netball to attract future students through the club's distinctive community.
Sandison also reflects on the team's achievements so far. This year, the women’s 1s bid to compete in the National League was accepted for the first time, signifying a huge milestone for St Andrew's netball, as the league brings together the top 8 clubs in the country to compete at the highest level,
Over the past 3 years, the netball team has welcomed their first scholars to the club, student athletes whose outstanding sporting abilities have earned them additional support and incentives from the university, with some of these players competing internationally. Sandison revealed the significance of this for the performance aspect of the game, helping to elevate the squad's quality and create higher competitive standards.
This year, Sandison truly felt that the squad has reached a high performance level, with the perfect combination of a cohesive culture and ambition to succeed.
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