Netball NSW, owner and operator of the Swifts, is delighted to announce that 2024 has reached the largest number of participant registrations in the organisation’s near 100-year history.
In the past 12 months over 120,000 players, coaches and officials have registered to be part of one of the largest sporting movements not just in NSW, but nationwide.
With the 2024 Suncorp Super Netball competition becoming the most attended female domestic league in Australian sporting history, and grassroots participation at record levels, Netball NSW Chair Sallianne Faulkner said the sport was in a wonderful position.
“Numbers like these do not come about by accident, and I thank the entire netball ecosystem - from the community game to the elite - as well as our staff for all playing a huge role in these successes,” she said.
“We are so excited because these numbers mean that more people of all ages, genders, backgrounds and abilities are giving netball a go, and we want to give as many people as possible the chance to take part.
“We should take time to celebrate and champion our game when we reach new milestones. No sport in NSW has the community impact that netball does, especially for women and young girls.
“It is a staple of every metro and regional community across NSW, while at the elite level we have had numerous sellouts at Ken Rosewall Arena, especially when the NSW Swifts and GIANTS Netball do battle.
“With the Netball World Cup heading to Sydney in 2027 we have golden opportunity to further elevate netball’s position and we look forward to working closely with all commercial, government and community stakeholders continue this upward trajectory.”
Tim Fava, Netball NSW Executive General Manager – Community & Pathways, said many of the successes could be attributed to new ways of delivering the game.
“We saw growth across all categories this year, while our Spring Season has been a huge hit in bringing both teenagers and older participants back to the game,” he said.
“Associations and clubs are providing more social, flexible and fun playing experiences with options for mixed teams, juniors, seniors and men’s netball.
“While representative netball is still a key focus for us and many in our community, I would like to take a moment to really thank the Associations who have embraced new ways to deliver our game to cater for a much wider audience.
“The proof is in the pudding and these numbers are a testament to the hard work being done to foster a love of the game, and to keep communities fit and active.
“This number should not be our Everest and we are already looking at new ways to build on the success of 2024 to harness better health and wellbeing benefits for everyone in our netball family.”
