Returning to Netball Gave Me Back My Spark

Netball is one of the sports you can come and try at HerMove Live26, and the woman running it knows better than most what that first step can feel like. Ferne Miller stepped away from netball for years, then found her way back through Forest Row Netball Club. Here she is on what happened next, in her own words.

Sometimes, you don't realise how much you've missed something until you find your way back to it.

Like a lot of young girls, I played netball at school out of necessity, simply because it was part of the curriculum. Once I got to grips with the game, netball became a passion - I began playing for a club in Mid Sussex before continuing at university. Netball was a fun hobby, a way to keep active, meet new people, and be part of a team. Then life happened.

For many university graduates in 2020, COVID-19 brought university life to an abrupt and unexpected end. Routines changed, and netball took a back seat.

I returned to my old club in 2022, but the logistics ultimately became difficult. With league games in Falmer and training in Burgess Hill, travelling from home on the Ashdown Forest meant a lot of time, mileage and petrol. Eventually, I stopped playing again.

Finding My Way Back

At the beginning of this year, I decided to give netball another shot. I'll be honest, 'nervous' is an understatement. Returning to a sport after time away can be daunting. Would I still be good enough? Would I fit in? What if they didn't like me?

I initially contacted the Monday East Grinstead England Netball-affiliated league, but there weren't any teams recruiting, so I could easily have left it there.

February rolled around, and my luck changed. I saw a Facebook post from Forest Row Netball Club looking for new players. The club had recently joined the Wednesday East Grinstead league, run by Powerleague. This was my chance to play much closer to home.

With limited netball opportunities around the Ashdown Forest area, I didn't hesitate to reach out to Sophie, the club captain.

Then came the trial.

Let's be real: turning up in the dark to somewhere you've never been, not knowing where you're going or who you're going to meet - it's scary. But from the moment I stepped onto court, those worries disappeared. Everyone was welcoming, friendly and supportive, and the muscle memory was working its magic - it was like I'd never stopped playing.

Joining Forest Row Netball Club has genuinely been one of the best decisions I've made, and I don't say that lightly.

More Than Just Netball

What I didn't expect was how much more I'd get from restarting netball than simply playing the game.

I've met so many wonderful people from all different walks of life, both within our club and across the league.

I'm now also a member of the Forest Row Netball Club committee, where I run our social media accounts and am the friendly face for new and prospective players.

It's funny to think that not long ago, I was the nervous person wondering whether I should take the leap. Now, I'm helping other women and girls take theirs.

As women, it's easy for sport to become something we leave behind. School finishes, work gets busier, and life takes over. Before you know it, years have passed since you last played.

But you don't have to be the best player. You don't have to know anyone. You don't have to be as fit as you once were. You also don't have to be tall to play netball - as someone who stands at 5'2", I can vouch for this! You just have to turn up.

Returning to netball has given me friendships, community, confidence, a sense of belonging and something to look forward to every week.

It's given me back my spark.

Reach Out and Try Again

If my experience has taught me anything, it's that you never really know where that first step will take you.

I spent years playing netball, then years away from it. I thought I'd simply moved on to the next chapter of my life.

But coming back reminded me that sometimes the things we love don't disappear; they just wait for us to find our way back to them.

So, if you're a woman or a young girl reading this and you've ever thought about trying netball or returning to a sport after some time away, take this as your sign.

You might just find your people. You might reignite a passion you once had.

And you might just find your spark again.

Written by Ferne Miller, Forest Row Netball Club committee member.

Thank you, Ferne. This is what we mean when we say it is never too late and you belong here. You do not have to be the fittest, the tallest or the most experienced. You just have to turn up.

If Ferne's story has given you a nudge, come and try netball for yourself at HerMove Live26. Ferne and the team will be running sessions on the day, and you will get exactly the welcome she describes. Saturday 12 September, 11:30 to 3:00, at East Grinstead Sports Club, and it is completely free.

Get your free ticket: https://www.hermove.uk/event-details/hermove-live26

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