My netball dream is...
Rebels Netball Club was formed 17 years ago with the aim of making netball accessible and enjoyable to a wide range of families in the Howick/Pakuranga area. Within our community there are families who are struggling, as in any demographic and extracurricular activities for children and young people are beyond the reach of many due to financial pressures. Rebels Netball Club is an inclusive and accepting club, regardless of outstanding subs we encourage young people to join in and play the game they love, as we recognise the value this adds to a young person's life and their self-esteem as well as the wider community impact.
There are many examples of how this approach has impacted the community. At present we have a young mum playing in one of our college teams this year, her baby is just 5 months old and she cannot afford subs, we have welcomed her into the club with open arms. She is so happy, loves netball, is an extremely talented player and has returned to education as she felt valued, accepted and motivated to make positive changes in her life. There are a couple of college aged club members who have been involved with local police and truancy services, they have been supported to engage in the sport they love. As a result of our club believing in them, giving them the "break" that they probably needed, they are now fully committed and engaged club members, willing to give back by other means..and they do. The girls are now umpiring and helping to coach. The far-reaching impact of self-worth and keeping busy with a passion cannot be under-estimated and our Club has become like a family, so much so, that one family whose parents were both out of work, now have jobs after struggling to find suitable work options after sideline discussions and networking. We are so proud of our Club and the small group of volunteers who make a real and genuine difference in the lives of our Rebels Netball club members.
However, with big decisions come sacrifices. Everything the club has is old and worn, we are growing rapidly and want to feel we can provide what these young people and their families deserve. We only have training gear for two teams and our game balls are not suitable for Saturday games, as a result our Club leaders are digging into their own pockets out of love for the game and pure dedication to young people and their enjoyment of netball.
We desperately need complete gear bags to train with, bags, balls, cones, ladders, drink holders, first aid kits, as well as training for our coaches. We want to dream big and be able to reach out to our community and encourage more of the families and girls who feel marginalised and alone to join with us, especially after what we've seen can be achieved.
Feeling a sense of belonging, acceptance and achievement changes lives and we want to continue to offer this to everyone in community.
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If you, your team, club or school need ANZ's help to bring your netball dreams to life then apply here