Over the past 10 weeks Axe Vale Netball Club have been actively clocking up an impressive 14,805 kilometres and made it to Australia – virtually!
Head coach Trish Warwick explained: “This great effort was a whole club enterprise from the youngest junior section, aged eight years, up to our lovely Walking Netballers, some approaching 80 years old.
“Together they have walked, run, cycled and ridden horses in an attempt to reach Australia where the full game of netball is being played in sunshine.”
Trish added: “AVNC coaches first came up with the idea just after the country went into full lockdown. Concerned for their members with the issues of isolation, they encouraged them to leave their homes, find a friend (as Covid restrictions allowed) and enjoy fresh air and company whilst meeting the club challenge.”
The club’s efforts were supported by the Superleague netball stars of Team Bath Netball, including Kim Borgen, who is an Australian shooting superstar - currently playing as the international player for table-topping Team Bath, Mia Ritchie and Stacey Francis, who is an England Roses team member and currently playing for West Coast Fever in the Australian Suncorp League.
The players, who are currently setting the national netball scene alight having won 10 of their first 11 games this season, sent videos encouraging the Axminster club members to keep up the good work.
Trish added: “Our arrival coincides with the re opening of AVNC’s junior section in Axminster.”
“If you are aged eight to 80 (or beyond!) and interested in playing netball please go to: love2playnetball@gmail.com