Netball coaches set to pass baton to players

LEFT to right: Sheila Ryan, Jenna Davies, Phoebe Eglin and Debbie Chapman

A TRIO of netball coaches have been nominated in a regional campaign to bring more women into the training arena.

The Hathershaw Colleges's Debbie Chapman, Sheila Ryan and Sarah Brennan are involved in the Netball in the Community scheme to draw girls into the sport.

They've been put forward for awareness campaign #PassOnYourPassion which aims to encourage more women to become sports coaches.

Debbie coaches Hathershaw Netball Club while Sheila and Sarah train Saddleworth Netball Club.

They each received a #PassOnYourPassion relay baton which they are asked to pass on to a fellow female participant symbolising a welcome to the world of coaching.

They were nominated by Hathershaw's assistant principal and director of sport, Lorna Philip, who said: "Hundreds of girls benefit from their volunteering every year and they are without doubt huge contributors to the extremely high profile netball has in Oldham.

"Oldham has an excellent track record for winning national competitions and producing national players.

"I thought it was important to support the campaign as nationally only 30 per cent of coaches are female.

"Our sports centre is absolutely buzzing on Tuesday evenings and Saturdays morning with enthusiastic little netters."

Greater Manchester is the first place to host the touring initiative this week through Greater Sport - one of 13 County Sports Partnerships in the north of England - after it successfully piloted #PassOnYourPassion last year.

The campaign, which passes through Yorkshire, the north east, Lancashire and Merseyside, aims to boost the number of female coaches and the percentage of women getting a professional coaching qualification.

Amy Hughes, founder of The 53 Foundation, which she began after running 53 marathons in 53 consecutive days, handed over the baton from Greater Sport to Yorkshire Sport. Amy set off from the Etihad Campus and passed over the baton at the top of Holme Moss.

Jane Gardiner, development manager of workforce at Greater Sport, said: "It was great to see so many female coaches involved in the last campaign. By teaming up with the other CSPs in the north, we hope to inspire and engage more women into coaching through increased support and awareness of the campaign."

The campaign will return to Greater Sport in August for its finale.

You can also get involved by using the hashtag #PassOnYourPassion when posting on Facebook and Twitter and by tagging @reachcoaches