It is officially the final whistle for Linda Andrews as she bids farewell to her long-term presidency for Jersey Netball.
The Jersey Netball Association (JNA) welcomes in a new President for the first time in 8 years, as Wendy Luce steps up to the table to carry forward this new era of netball.
After being a figurehead for Netball in Jersey, Mrs Andrews expressed it to be a “time of mixed emotions” as she passes the baton to the next her successor.
“I put my heart and soul into the job”
As Mrs Andrews bids farewell to the sport, she describes her magnum opus in the Netball community to be her work in helping Jersey Netball Development flourish.
In partnership with Jackie Nelson, the pair set up Jersey Netball Development 25 years ago. The sporting association includes a network of programmes with one central aim, to foster and grow the Netball community in Jersey.
It features all the school leagues, Back to Netball, Walking Netball, Winter League and Mixed Netball. Mrs Andrews shared that to “watch it explode over the years has been just wonderful.”
“To have so many volunteers willing to give up their time and give something back is crucial to help the sport expand,” she said. “It goes back to Jersey netball being a family. That’s the lynched pin in all of this.”
Besides being the driving force behind netball’s logistics, Mrs Andrews reflected that “coaching has always been a huge part of my life.”
Mrs Andrews was a huge asset in Ex-England Captain Serena Kersten’s international wide netball career, with her instrumental impact being recognized by receiving the Coach of the Year award by England Netball.
“My thanks go to all the players who I’ve coached and who have given me the opportunity to get this award,” said Mrs Andrews.
Ex-England captain expresses gratitude for Mrs Andrews
Serena Kersten MBE has voiced her indebtedness to Mrs Andrews for being a fundamental role in her career, and also assisting her return back into Island sport and life.
“Linda has been integral and the sticky glue to netball being the beast that is on the island.”
Linda Andrews steps away with over 1000 women and girls playing every week and that’s growing.
Serena Kersten MBE
Mrs Kersten explained that the current youth program previously managed by Mrs Andrews welcomed 350+ young islanders. She also spent a lot of her presidency building initiatives that enable people aged up to 80 to participate in netball.
“She is a huge contributor to the Island, and we’ve got a lot to thank her for. We’ve probably never be able to thank her enough really in terms of what she’s created here for Jersey Netball.”
Will netball find a home of its own?
Although Mrs Andrews welcomed influential change to Jersey Netball, her “one disappointing aspect was not being able to secure a home for netball. That’s my one biggest regret.”
The ongoing battle of trying to secure a permanent venue to call home for the JNA, arouse when Les Ormes had to evict the JNA, where the sport was played since 2010.
Since then, Netball has not had a dedicated long-term training facility capable for providing weekly fixtures and Team Jets training.
We need a permanent venue. Without a home, all we can do is stagnate because we’ve only got a certain really limiting amount of courts.
Linda Andrews
Already, the JNA have had to cap numbers on programs ahead of September, and the future of the Winter League is under the discretion of whether there will be guaranteed court space.
Mrs Andrews added: “If you look at the Commonwealth Games, netball was the most supported sport. We had sell out arenas for most of the games.”
“We have the interest here. We have a waiting list for our youth league because we had so many girls who wanted to get involved. It’s still an untapped audience at the moment.”
A new era…
Mrs Luce accepts the presidency as a “proud moment in her netball career” and acknowledges it as a goal she has been working towards. She aims to carry on forward the work of Mrs Andrews with the most pressing priority being to re-home netball.
“Women’s sport in general, has been on the back foot for donkey’s years. Now when we are in desperate need for help, we haven’t been able to receive a satisfiable home for our size.”
“We can’t get enough people through the door, not because we can’t get the people, but because we’ve got limited seating and too many people,” Mrs Luce explained.
“It’s easy to put in a lot of effort to the glamorous side of it, claiming success that Team Jets is a premiership team or when we’re winning,” said Mrs Green.
“But both Linda and Wendy put as much effort into people at all levels, the kids starting out, and the ladies coming back to netball, and that just describes who they truly are.”
The final farewell
“Jersey netball would not be anywhere close to where it is. Linda has sacrificed a whole lifetime for this sport and the people in it.”
Emily Green
Mrs Andrews shared her hope for her legacy is to be recognised by the netball community for always striving “to make sure the Island knew of our successes.”
“If I can be remembered for making sure there were as many different diverse programs as we could offer available to everybody and opportunities for our 5-year olds to 85-year olds, then I couldn’t ask for more.”
