The announcement of a new governing principal for the UK's most popular women's team sport has rather more significance than normal. When the audience rose at the England Netball AGM to congratulate the new Chair, Heather Crouch on her election success, the victory came just 3 months after she had undergone neurosurgery followed by courses of radio and chemotherapy. Doctors have declared delight at a resounding success and are astounded by Heather's recovery, suggesting she is the fittest person they have ever operated on.
Heather is convinced her unprecedented recovery is down to sport, in particular netball. "I started playing netball at school and for the last 40 years have not stopped the regime of intensive physical training and play, enjoyable social interaction and a healthy nutritious diet, with the appropriate balance of rest to draw on the body's natural recovery and healing properties".
With energy levels back to normal and a zest for life stronger than ever, Heather is throwing herself into her new role and is very ambitious for her sport's future. "Netball is currently played by over 1 million women and girls each week in the UK. It is one of the fastest growing sports and the Back2Netball initiative encourages previous as well as new players to see how the sport has changed. Netball is now faster, more fun, generally played indoors and is the perfect blend of agility, grace and high energy.
Importantly, netball is the perfect antidote to defusing the ticking time bomb that is drawing on NHS resources. We have some depressing statistics of obesity in this country, particularly amongst young women. We simply must get the nations' girls up and out and active. It's about education and the reality that fad diets just don't work to achieve your desired body shape, if that's the issue. But netball can help.
I am living proof that regular exercise plus a healthy diet speeds recovery, places less reliance on drugs and pressure on NHS budgets. And you don't have to be a neurosurgeon to figure that out."
Information on Back2Netball can be found nationally or within your own regions at;
You are viewing the text version of this site.
To view the full version please install the Adobe Flash Player and ensure your web browser has JavaScript enabled.
Need help? check the requirements page.