The World Netball (WN) Foundation has recently organised a coaching clinic for their Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) partner, Maitrayana, at the 13th edition of the Asia Netball Championships.
At Maitrayana, netball is the foundation for the girls to learn about their rights, build leadership skills and reach their full potential, and therefore their coaches are required to go beyond the traditional ‘netball’ coaching.
Whilst in India at the event, on behalf of the WN Foundation, WN’s Head of Events, Kate Agnew ran a two-day coaching clinic for Maitrayana’s young coaches.
Speaking on the success of the coaching clinic, Agnew said: “It has been my privilege to work with the coaches of Maitrayana.
“They were incredibly enthusiastic and wanted to learn so much.”
Maitrayana runs its flagship sport-for-development programme, the Young People’s Initiative (YPI) in urban-rurals communities and government-funded schools in Indian three cities, and therefore it was important for Agnew to make her session realistic to the coaches every day environments and experiences.
Agnew added: “We looked at some of the challenges they face in terms of space, time and equipment and we tried to address these through showing different ways to resolve the challenges, and how you can still deliver skills, and the messaging of leadership and communication without necessarily having all the perfect situations.
“I have also valued the coaches questioning, they have sought knowledge and pushed me to help them to find solutions and advance their skills.
“I am very confident that they are going out and delivering fantastic programmes and that the students and young women will benefit enormously from the work that they will do.”
As part of the WN Foundations partnership with Maitrayana, it has committed to supporting 500 girls through life changing programmes, giving them the opportunity to take part in both netball and life skills programmes, with a focus on their rights.
Speaking on the benefits of the WN Foundation coaching clinic one of the attendees, Aarti Kori, YPI alumni and now Programme Associate said “The two-day netball training was incredibly beneficial for me.
“It provided me with a deeper understanding of the game, especially in terms of how to adapt to different situations on the court.
“I learnt that it’s not only important to improve physical skills, but also to understand netball theory, which plays a key role in refining one’s game.
“During the training, I had the opportunity to watch an Asian Netball Championships 2024 match.
“This was an eye-opening experience, as I was able to see how professional players utilise the entire court and play strategically.”
The coaches, including Kori, will now take these additional skills from the coaching clinic to assist them in delivering life changing sessions for young girls in India, aged 10-25 years.
To learn more about the World Netball Foundation and their partnership with Maitrayana, visit the WN Foundations website here.