Netball across Merseyside has see a significant growth in participation in recent years.
But, for a sport played predominately outside, the winter months prove to be a struggle for some clubs as they scrape to get sides out for leagues and struggle to fund courts for training sessions.
The average cost to hire a netball court is between £35 and £50 for an hour, which is putting more pressure on clubs who will have to book multiple sessions.
This cost not only puts a strain on the club when they are already struggling for attendance but strains them further during the cost of living crisis.
Marshalls Netball Club is based in South Liverpool and is just one of the 90 plus clubs in the Merseyside region. The club has multiple teams in both Merseyside junior and senior leagues.
Lucy Costain, who coaches at the club, said: “We play more competitively from September through till March/April.
“The weather is bad. A lot of people are students or girls that come from school.
“I definitely think that it is harder to attract them to come, especially when it is cold and miserable.”
Funding throughout the cold seasons can put a huge amount of pressure on clubs, particularly if they are from low-income areas.
Lucy said: “In Liverpool and the North West, we have got quite a few deprived areas and various clubs not being able to actually afford the courts.
“Here sometimes we only get one court, sometimes we get two. Five miles down the road at another club it is the same.”
Although the winter months cause a lack of funding and a struggle for players, the club has still seen a rise in participation.
Marshalls junior section has seen a huge growth in the past decade and as the quality of play has increased so has the coaching.
Junior player Abi Grace, who has been a member of Marshalls since she was seven, said: “In the juniors, there was one age group and now there is five or six and some age groups have two teams in them.
“A lot more coaches, especially the junior ones, have tried to get their England netball qualifications and they are getting more ideas for drills.”
Netball for most players is not just a form of exercise, but a way to socialise and meet new people.
Maisie-Mel Hughes another junior player said: “It is definitely good for making friends. I joined Marshalls about midway through year seven and made more friends.
“Just coming and doing sports, training or matches is good stress relief as well.”
Despite the winter struggle, Marshalls still manage to play most weekends and train midweek at Liverpool College on Queens Drive.
