The remarkable rise of UCS OG Netball Club
This term has marked the 15th anniversary of girls first being admitted to the UCS Sixth Form and, in recognition of this significant milestone, the Old Gowers’ Association has expanded its sports provision to include a club aimed specifically at female alumni.
UCS OG Netball Club is a fun, social netball club for former UCS girls, their friends, family, UCS Active members and local Hampstead residents. Old Gowers’ Association President, Mark Alden, explained: “Netball is one of the main female sports played at UCS so we felt it was a natural fit. It’s also a sport suitable for all ages, one that newcomers can pick up relatively quickly, and a sport that improves your all-round fitness.”
As with all Old Gowers sports clubs – rugby, football, hockey, cricket and tennis – the Netball Club encourages as many alumni as possible to come along and participate, irrespective of experience and performance levels, and to bring friends and colleagues from outside UCS. Training takes place in the UCS Sports Hall every Tuesday from 8–9.30pm.
While approximately 1,000 girls have passed through the gates of the Senior School, OG Netball Club started with a core of eight players, revolving around one OG who left the school in July 2020. It now has 34 registered players and another 40 recent leavers signed up to play during university holidays. There are recruits from UCS Active as well as UCS mums. “It’s a truly wonderful mix of ages, experience, ability and social backgrounds,” added Mark Alden.
The squad are trained by Steve Williams, who used to coach nationally ranked netball teams at Queenswood School, Hertfordshire, and come spring they will play weekly fixtures in a Middlesex league.
