It has been a big year for netball in the Isle of Man, but the national side is already looking towards achieving even more, writes Paul Speller.

Following the huge decision to split from England Netball and become a member of the International National Federation, the Manx national side has proved it belongs at that level.

And there has also been growth at the grassroots level, with more teams competing in the Isle of Man. The sound of trainers squeaking on the polished floors of the National Sports Centre provides the accompaniment to a number of matches each week.

The Manx Netball Association has about 800 members and national team coach Claire Battye, 35, believes it is the most popular women’s sport in the island.

The year ahead is going to be huge for Manx netball, with the chance to compete at the Euros in 2019 the biggest goal.

Already, the Isle of Man team has shown itself to be capable of competing on the international stage, with impressive performances at the Netball Europe Open Challenge event in May.

That saw the senior team finish an impressive second at the event. They won half of their games and also gave the pre-tournament favourites Ireland an almighty scare, before suffering an agonising one-point loss.

’What that demonstrated to us is that we deserve to be competing at that level,’ said Claire.

As with most sports, netball requires commitment from those playing and organising - and the ability to juggle different parts of your life to make time for it.

Police officer Katrina Keeling is a member of the national squad.

She said: ’It takes a lot of commitment, especially when you are playing for club and country.

’Not only the training and the games themselves and the trips away, but you also have to find the time to keep your fitness up in between.

’In the senior team we have got a lot of mothers in the squad, so they have also got children to look after. Most people are working full-time.

’I work shifts so I am very conscious of the time I am not at home when, maybe, I feel I should be, but the reward for that is playing for your country and stepping out and seeing the team develop and improve so much in a short space of time.’

Katrina’s eight-year-old daughter plays netball too, so it does mean they share an interest. She is married to Isle of Man clay pigeon shooter Jake Keeling, who has represented Great Britain, so there is a mutual understanding of the demands of representing your country at sport.

’I am very lucky, I have got great support from parents in law. Not only do I have the shifts, but also my husband works full-time as well so when he is working or doing his own thing they step in,’ said 37-year-old Katrina, who received a chief constable’s commendation for bravery after she and a colleague tackled a man wielding a knife.

She moved to the island when she was 18 and has been playing netball since the age of 20.

It has been an exciting time for Isle of Man netball, with the national team switching from being considered as a county of the English netball system to recognition as a country on the international stage.

But that brings with it greater pressure to show the Isle of Man deserves to be there.

Claire, who has two children, aged four and five, said: ’That is why we play as much as we can. Whenever we have a visiting team, we push the girls to their absolute limits.’

That can see the team playing several times in one day when competitive regional teams visit. It is good preparation for tournaments, where teams can be expected to play twice a day, and helps to build up players’ stamina.

With backing from the Hooded Ram brewery, the Isle of Man netball team has made great strides in recent years and the sport overall is enjoying a boost, after England’s sensational last-gasp victory over Australia in the Commonwealth Games.

’That was massive,’ said Claire. ’Netball just went crazy. We got additional players afterwards

’We have five new teams in the league this season.’

As well as senior and business leagues and netball in schools, there are junior sides for those who want to give the sport a shot.

In addition, there are ’returners’ netball sessions for anyone wanting to come back to the sport, but who are not sure about joining a club, while the Tommy Clucas Community Hall in Peel hosts walking netball sessions.

Claire added: ’Obviously a lot of our focus is on the national sides at the different age levels, but just as important is that netball is open to people of all ages and abilities.

’We have quite a few mothers whose daughters are now taking part and that’s great. But there’s always room for more players!’

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