Goal getters – Downing’s Netball team shines!
With its fast-paced but friendly nature, the Netball team at Downing remains very popular. First created in 1987, the team currently has around 25 members and has its eyes set on glory this season! After securing promotion from Division 3 to Division 2 in Michaelmas they have their eyes set on reaching the top division – a target that is firmly in their reach.
The current Team Captain, Angel Ezeadum (2023), took some time away from the court to chat all things Netball and tell us about her aims for the team.
How long have you been playing netball?
I have been playing since 2016. It was the first team sport I got involved with in secondary school, through my PE lessons, and has stuck with me ever since.
How did you get involved with netball at Downing?
I remember receiving my offer from Downing and instantly looking on the College website at what sports were on offer. I have always been an active person, so this was crucial for me, and I was so excited to see that Downing had an established Ladies and Mixed Netball team. Fortunately, my College mum was one of the Netball captains at the time and she encouraged me to take part in a Fresher’s Week taster session. Since then, I have been a constant member of the team, and I am now the Team Captain.
How many Downing students are part of the Netball teams?
Due to the relaxed nature of the club, numbers do tend to fluctuate but generally we have a strong squad of over 25 members: male and female/non-binary.
How often do you play matches and practice?
We stress the fun part of netball and so have opted not to run training or practice sessions. However, this has had no effect on our match play! We play ladies’ matches every Saturday and mixed every Sunday- weather dependant!
Congratulations on a very successful Michaelmas term, please can tell us a bit more about where the teams finished?
Thank you very much! The Ladies’ team finished top of Division 3 and were successfully promoted to Division 2. At the time of this interview, we are still unbeaten and currently leading Division 2.
On the contrary, due to participation issues on the mixed side, we had to forfeit some matches and so were relegated. Nevertheless, all the Mixed matches that we were able to play, we won!
Was there any particular highlight from last term?
It is very hard to narrow the last season down to just one highlight, so I have to give two. Firstly, seeing all the new freshers getting involved has been lovely and they have proven to be invaluable to the squad. One of the greatest things about College sport is seeing the assimilation of year groups, and it has been a joy to see students of all year groups and subjects conversing with each other through a shared passion.
Additionally, one moment that stood out from Michaelmas was our back-to-back winning performance against Clare and Newnham Colleges. Despite only a short period of rest in between both matches, we were able to beat our opposition convincingly and had a record number of ladies in attendance – from Postgrads to Freshers.
What are your aims for Lent?
Following a very competent start to the term, we are setting our sights high and aiming to finish at the top of Division 2 to get promoted to Division 1. Aside from that, we really want to do well in Cuppers, which will take place towards the end of this term and avenge our loss against St John’s from last year!
What’s the best thing about netball?
I personally love the fast-paced nature of netball. It makes the matches enjoyable to both watch and play as there is just so much unpredictability (especially when you throw bad weather into the mix).
Netball is such a wonderful environment for anyone to be a part of. Particularly on the ladies’ side, it is a great sisterhood! Even when competing, it is a very social and positive atmosphere, which often continues into our post-match brunches with the other team.
In Mixed Netball, it is always interesting to see the match-ups and how teams navigate differences in athleticism and positioning.
Any advice for anyone looking to take up the sport?
Come along and get involved! We are a very friendly team, and we often have newcomers coming along to the matches, some even playing netball for the first time ever.
As one of the captains, I make sure that each player gets decent playing time, their choice of position and understands the rules. Most of our matches take place on the Downing courts, so if you just want to watch and support from the sidelines for the first couple of games to get comfortable with the style of play, please do.
Most importantly, I’d like to stress that there is absolutely no pressure – we pride ourselves on being a low-commitment club and a fun way to alleviate the pressures of studies with a healthy competitive edge.
Has the team benefitted from any sports funding from the College?
We were very fortunate to receive funding from the Active Students fund which allowed us to buy new balls and a pump.
This has been essential to facilitating our strong performance over the past term and will last the club for a long time. The team and I are very grateful.
Published 26 February 2025