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The kingdom’s netball enthusiasts have been put through their paces in preparation for the major annual Inter-Gulf competition which will kick off on Friday at the Bahrain Rugby Football Club (BRFC).
As 24 teams from across the region prepare to fly in for the two-day DHL Inter-Gulf Netball Championships, the island’s six squads attended an intense five-day boot camp to sharpen up their on-court playing prowess.
The camp was conducted by leading coaches Gilly Salter, Sue Wainwright, Jean Davies and Gina Pearce who were flown in by the Bahrain Netball League from the UK.
Helen Edwards, Inter-Gulf competition project manager, said: “We were honoured to have these elite coaches with us to support and train our girls. Gilly and Sue have been giving their time to us for free for the past few years and we believe that with their help we can go far.
“This season we have several new players who could really learn from these experts. Our aim is to get back on top as Bahrain used to do really well in competition in the 1990s. We were invincible but for the past few years the cup has been shared between clubs from Dubai and Abu Dhabi.”
Two training camps took place for junior players aged six to 14 and seniors aged 14 and above. The girls were in great hands as Wainwright is a former England netball star and a founder of Hucclecote Netball, one of the biggest netball clubs in the UK. Jean Davies is also an England selector, an ex-England coach and head of netball at Truro College.
Gina Pearce is a B-Award umpire who holds an official tutor qualification and is a Level 2 coach. She has been playing and umpiring for the past 25 years and, although is no longer playing, she is working towards her A umpiring award.
Salter is the director of Netball South West, a former England netball player, captain and England talent scout. She is also a selector and coach as well as a netball commentator. During the camp, Salter worked closely with the girls on their speed and agility, attacking and defensive strategies.
She said: “We only have a really small amount of time to get the teams prepared but the great thing is that I have worked with a lot of these girls over the years.
“There are some exciting new players this season. The camp helps reinforce the good technical aspects that previous players have learned and will be especially beneficial to the newcomers. Because Bahrain is an island, they really don’t get the up-to-date, tactical and technical training we can gain in England.
“Being a national selector, I’m always working with top players so a lot of what I bring to them is new information.
“We have covered a number of techniques such as improving their strength, speed and agility, focusing on movement skills including catching and passing as well as looking at specific strategies on court from an attacking point of view and setting up from a defensive point of view. I love netball and I love working with these girls.”
Aside from training for the 29th Inter-Gulf contest, funds raised by the boot camp were donated to the Carly Taylor Fund, which coach Davies is a trustee of.
Carly was a highly-talented and integral member of Hucclecote Netball Club when she suffered a horrendous accident in which she broke three vertebrae in her neck leaving her paralysed from the shoulders down.
As she played in the Bahrain Inter-Gulf Netball Championships in an invitational cup staged in the kingdom in 2008, the Bahrain netballers hold Carly close to their hearts and all proceeds from the camp for the past few years have been donated to assist her in her recovery.
She is making slow but determined progress with the selfless support of her family and her fiancé, Nielson ‘Nelly’ Webber.
Davies said: “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to come to Bahrain to help with the coaching programme and I am especially pleased to be able to thank, in person, all of the players who do so much to raise the much-needed funds to help Carly continue her fight back. We cannot thank them enough for all they continue to do for her.”
Many of the netballers at the camp wished Carly a speedy recovery, including Bahrain A team player, Khulood Ali Sabah, from Isa Town. The 26-year-old, who works at the British School of Bahrain, said: “I love being a part of this team and boot camp. Not only are we supporting a fellow athlete but we are also gaining skills and experience from these fantastic coaches.
“Last year when I was on the B team we came second for the plate. This year we are playing for the cup and we are going to do our best to win it.”
This weekend, the Bahrain teams will be playing against some of the finest netballers in the region from Dubai, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Qatar and Fujairah.
All visiting teams will be staying at the Elite Seef Residence & Hotel where they will also enjoy a gala dinner to celebrate the event. The prize-giving ceremony takes place on Saturday.
The teams will be split into two pools and according to Edwards, the quest for glory is fierce, however, there is a social pool too which is more for people who have not played netball for a long time and just want to have fun.
This year there are six trophies up for grabs. In the competitive pool, 11 teams will battle it out for the DHL Inter-Gulf Netball Championship trophy, the Plate and the U19s Youth Cup. In the social pool there are 19 squads competing for the Bowl, the Saucer or the U19 Youth Social Trophy.
Once competitive pool games have been completed the teams will be ranked from one to 11 based on points or goal difference. Teams ranked 1 to 4 will go on to play in the knock-out semi-finals. Teams ranked 5 to 8 will go on to play in the Plate semi-finals.
Umpires will be travelling from the UK.
On the social side, the teams will be split into two and they will play against each other within their pools. Pool A will feature 10 teams and Pool B is comprised of nine teams.
On Friday, the games kick off at 9am and will finish at 4.35pm. On Saturday, the matches start at 8.45am and end at 3.10pm.
Edwards said: “With around 300 people participating, it’s the biggest event for women in the Gulf. The Inter-Gulf is also a fantastic opportunity to showcase what a great place Bahrain is.
“We are very excited to have been chosen once again to stage the championship and are looking forward to hosting all of the teams here. It’s going to be a great event and the atmosphere is always amazing.
“We’d like to thank DHL for their support along with Elite Seef Residence, Alba, BRFC, African & Eastern, BMMI, Alosra and Aquacool.”
* For more information on this weekend’s event, contact Edwards on 36061009. You can also find details about Carly by visiting carlytaylorfightingback.co.uk
