Storm Netball Club's rise to success in Cornwall

Storm's first team play in Division Two of the Cornwall Netball League

by Philip Tuckett

Redruth's Storm Netball Club will celebrate its fifth birthday in July after enjoying an almost unbroken spell of prosperity since its formation back in 2005.

From humble beginnings, with just nine players showing up for the first training session, the club has experienced rapid expansion coupled with a remarkable level of success that saw them clinch four promotions in five years.

In 2010 the club has swelled its membership to more than 60 players, and now boasts three senior and three junior teams, with the first team currently challenging for honours in Division Two of the Cornwall Netball League.

The club was founded by David and Sadie White, who continue to run things five years down the line.

Sadie, the club secretary and first team shooter, explained to BBC Sport how it all began.

Sadie on court for Storm's first team

"I was a little disillusioned at the club I was at," she said. "After many discussions with David we felt we could set up our own club and try running things our way to see how it goes."

Both Sadie and David were in agreement that they wanted the club to run as professionally as possible.

David said: "Sadie and I were determined to make a success of it and we wanted to make sure we got things right from the beginning.

"That meant getting everything right off court as well as on it, from the club's image, website, the way the players dress for matches to how they behave when they're representing the club."

Even though netball is the most popular female team sport in the UK, with more than one million women and girls playing regularly, the game has suffered with an image problem for many years.

"The problem is that all people remember about netball is freezing cold afternoons in the school playground with girls in oversized skirts and baggy bibs slowly throwing the ball to each other," said David.

"Well these days the game is played at great speed and is very physical and the players are extremely athletic and agile."

Storm's Charlotte Jackson gets ready for action

When Storm were founded in 2005 the club started in the bottom tier - Division Five - of the Cornwall Netball League.

This season, Storm's first team are currently sixth in Division Two, although they have several games in hand over their main rivals.

"We're nearly there," said David. "With the team we've got now I think we're capable of getting promotion.

"After that, well, we've got our goals so let's just see what the next five years bring."

This season Storm's Under-14 team has also had great success. They currently top the Cornwall Under-14 league and have won through to represent Cornwall at the South West Regional Tournament.