The Pakistan youth netball team made up entirely of British-based players is competing in their first major championship.
They’re hoping that they will not only perform well but also help attract other British Asian and Muslim girls to take up the sport.
Many of the girls in the team had their hopes of competing internationally crushed last year when they were unable to play in the Asian Netball Championship in Bangalore.
Unexplained visa delays by the Indian government meant that the Cosmopolitan Roses Netball team they played for was unable to take part.
But since then, a number of the girls who missed out have been sanctioned by Pakistan Netball to form a team to take part in the Asian Youth Netball Championship under their national flag.
“It’s an incredibly proud moment for the girls taking part,” says Sadia Hussain, the co-founder of the British-based Pakistan Netball Academy UK.
“Performance netball is one thing, but this is even more special for the girls. It’s a chance to represent themselves, and to represent their roots.”
Sadia acknowledges that there are barriers to cross to encourage young Asian and Muslim girls on to the netball court.
Issues around acceptable clothing and cultural and familial uncertainty can put many girls off.
But she says the Pakistan Netball Academy, which she helped set up two years ago to tackle under-representation, can offer help, support and advice for girls who want to enjoy the sport she loves.
Thankfully for the girls, the Asian Youth Netball Championship is in South Korea so there have been no visa issues to hold them back this time round.
“It was hugely disappointing to miss out on the games in India,” says the team’s young captain Sumayya Safdar.
“But it has given us more resolve and determination to perform well, and it’s given us extra months to train and prepare.”
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And they’re getting some expert support to help them reach their goals. Their coach is former England captain Amanda Newton.
Amanda won the Super League and Super Cup with her domestic clubs, and has won Commonwealth and World Championship medals with England.
“The girls come from all over the country,” says Amanda at a training session in Walsall.
“We have players from London, Manchester, Birmingham and Scotland, so we are only able to train as a team every three weeks or so. But the training the girls do either at home, or with their own schools and clubs, has shown a huge level of commitment.”
“And when they’re together, the team spirit is amazing. And they get such confidence and strength from playing with girls who look like they do and share similar faiths and backgrounds.”
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The Asian Youth Netball Championship 2025 is from 27 June to 4 July in Jeonju, South Korea.
