Netball can carry some stereotypes that lead others to perceive its players in a particular light; assuming things about their identity or personality,because they play netball.
However, when students join Team UCL Netball Club, they see a very different reality!
We are a club filled with incredible women from all different walks of life. They train hard, create deep bonds, and develop skills together to become the strongest athletes we can be.
On the court, our strength, speed and agility are our most vital assets and our strength as athletes is all that matters.
There is a certain freedom and empowerment that arises from this, from being judged not for how you look or who you are, but simply on your ability as a player.
However, it does mean that queer identity is not always distinctly visible within the sport.
During LGBTQ+ History Month in February, we celebrate Pride in TeamUCL. So, the TeamUCL Netball Club invited the Unicorns LGBTQIA+ Netball Club to play a friendly round robin tournament to celebrate and promote visibility of queerness within the club.
- Who are the Unicorns LGBTQIA+ Netball Club?
Unicorns LGBTQIA+ are a safe space for queer folk (and allies) of all genders and abilities to play netball.
They are an award winning group who has the aim is to make netball more accessible to everyone, regardless of their gender identity, sexual orientation or skill level.Whether you haven’t played since school, play regularly at social level, or just want to give netball a try, they're the right club to join!
Not only are they a community as a club, they're always keen to get involved with other sports clubs of all kinds, too!
It was a fantastic afternoon of fast paced netball, great conversations, and a lot of laughs, developing connections between our members and the wider queer community.
Thanks to the Unicorns, we were also able to try out some mixed netball and challenge ourselves to adapt to the different style and aspects of the game that men bring to the sport.
For me as a queer netball player, talking to the Unicorns and seeing so many queer netball players in one meet was particularly poignant.
As an openly queer club, they highlight not only the abundant presence of queer players within the sport but also display how netball clubs are vital sources of safety and community for many queer athletes.
It is true that netball and many other men and women’s sports alike hold certain stereotypes and perceptions that can make them be perceived as exclusionary or unwelcoming.
It is incredibly important now to counteract these perceptions to make queer athletes and other minoritized people feel more included, involved and represented within sport.
Fighting against and disposing of these stereotypes will hopefully get rid of perceptions of netball that deter queer athletes from trying out the sport and getting involved. In the future we hope to continue to provide a welcoming and safe community for all individuals regardless of sexual orientation.