As netball’s back at M&S Bank Arena, Prescot player Jay says ‘it’s not just for girls’

Netball’s heading back to the M&S Bank Arena this weekend – and Prescot player Jay Power says he’s hoping it will show that netball’s not just for girls.

Jay has been playing the sport for more than a decade and is a member of the Manchester Thunder men’s team kicking off the action on Sunday before the main event: the Netball Super League (NSL) women’s match between Manchester Thunder – one of the most successful teams in the league – and Birmingham Panthers.

The 34-year-old is goal shooter and goal attack for the men’s and mixed team for Manchester Thunder, who created the first fully-integrated elite-level women’s, men’s, and mixed netball franchise in the world.

And he’s hoping that seeing men play the sport will encourage more men, and boys, to get involved.

He said:

“Men’s netball is growing fast internationally as well as in the UK, and I’m hoping that the event in Liverpool will inspire a huge increase of participation in the sport,” he says.

“It’s about exposure of the sport and making men aware of it.

“It’s a sport that’s accessible for everyone, and not just females!”

Jay explains:

“I got into playing netball through charity tournaments and workplace tournaments where they took along partners, and through my mum who’d also played netball for a few years.

“I’d watch her and go along to some of the training sessions to get a feel for what was going on, and I just kind of fell in love with the sport from there.

“It’s a similar sport to basketball but I didn’t have access to basketball in my area, and netball is different in terms of the physicality of it, the speed, the fitness, that kind of stuff.

“That’s what drew me to it.”

“Basketball has more freedom. Because you can’t move once you’ve got the ball in netball, there’s an intensity to the decision making, it’s high-pressured, and it gets the adrenaline flowing. That was the drive for me – along with fitness and trying to lose a bit of weight – and my enjoyment of it.”

Jay started playing in a mixed social league in Manchester where he works at Manchester NHS Foundation Trust as head of soft services (non-clinical activity) and it grew from there.  He now plays men’s and mixed netball for Manchester Thunder which he says increases the social aspect of the sport too, with events organised outside the sporting arena.

He is also a coach to the senior teams at Phoenix Netball Club in Wavertree, which has players from age six, and is ‘really encouraging men and boys to come along and get involved’.

“It’s about trying to get more people and more men involved, in particular in Liverpool and Merseyside, and that’s why this game in Liverpool on Sunday is so important for me.

“We saw a huge increase in interest when the Netball World Cup was at M&S Bank Arena and I think it will help us to get the word out there now.

“So yes it’s about awareness, and once people are aware, about accessibility and opening up the opportunity. That’s why we’re encouraging people to bring their partners and sons, and nephews, on Sunday.

“If you look at Australia, the men’s set up there is huge and it’s because of accessibility – they are way out there ahead and have had a national team for years, and other men’s teams.  It’s breaking down that barrier of people thinking it’s a female-only sport.

“And we need to build that momentum from an early age.”

“Netball is a great sport and a great way to meet people – many of my closest friends now are people I’ve played netball with. 

“There are transferable skills that people will find they have and the rules of netball are easy to learn and understand so it’s easy to pick up.  Just give it a try.”

To find a netball team or opportunity near you, Jay suggests the following:

The England men’s and mixed association and offers a club finder to help find clubs in local areas: www.Englandmmna.com   

On Sunday, May 18, doors open at the M&S Bank Arena at 4pm with the Manchester Thunder men’s team raising the curtain at 4.15pm.  The women’s NSL match between Manchester Thunder and Birmingham Panthers will start at 6.30pm, and there will activities for families around the arena.

Book tickets now on the M&S Bank Arena website.

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