Good sports' mission - ‘OUR GOAL TO SAVE NETBALL!’

This talented trio is not about to drop the ball on their beloved game’s future

- Rebekah Hebenton

While there's no doubt that Kiwis love playing netball - it remains the sport with the highest participation among secondary school students the professional game faces an uncertain future.

With a shortened ANZ Premiership season, there are some fears about whether New Zealand's top talent can still build a career at home.

Former Silver Ferns captains Adine Wilson, 45, and Anna Stanley, 49, along with renowned commentator and Newstalk ZB journalist Jenny Woods, 64, are not going to let the sport they love fade without a fight.

“We used to be one of the only women's sports where you could earn money in New Zealand,” tells Nadine. “That's changing, which is great, but it's creating some significant challenges for netball that they need to overcome.”

Jenny adds, “It all comes down to money. It irritates me when I see wealthy people only buying into men's teams. Why not buy a netball league? Why not invest in women's sports?”

The trio’s weekly podcast Inside Netball sees them break down the competition, make predictions, and interview past and present players. Their mission? To reignite fan passion and draw new audiences into the fold.

“The more we create debate and talk about it, the more other people will want to engage with netball and watch it and be fans,” shares Anna. “It's good to be part of the brave new era, finding ways to grow netball and still be relevant as a sport that people love to watch.”

Their shared hope is clear: to ensure future netballers have the opportunity to build careers in the sport they love.

“I hope in 30 years time we are still one of the leading countries in the world in the sport,” says Anna. “I hope our participation numbers keep rising and that our professional players can play all over the world.”