In a league of her own
Correspondent • Published 26 Aug 2011 09:30
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What has 103 teams, over 1,000 women participants and is approaching its 40th birthday? Gina Macgregor, MBE, knows the answer. It is the netball league she started in May 1971.
After having her first child and struggling to get to matches in Bourne End in Buckinghamshire and Ealing from her home in Maidenhead, Gina put some flyers up around the, then new, Spencers Farm Estate in north Maidenhead to see if she could rally interest in forming a netball team.
Initially looking for around seven or eight keen girls, a total of 32 turned up at her door on the designated meeting night. Spurred on by this level of interest, Gina approached Castle Hill youth centre to see if she, and her fledgling league members, could use the netball court there for a few friendly matches. The manager agreed, on the condition that she coached the youth club's own Bonanza teams. And so, a meeting for the '32' was arranged, but when she arrived at the venue, it was packed, in Gina's words 'full of women galore'.
From those who attended this initial meeting, Gina formed 13 teams across the county from Boyn Hill to Pinkneys Green. And so, in May, 1971, the Maidenhead and District Netball League was formed. After a few months of friendlies, the competition started to play for points in first winter league. This year, 2011, sees the Summer League start with 60 teams made up of players who live and work across Berkshire from Wokingham to Reading in the west to Windsor, Slough and Maidenhead in the east of the county. All matches in this league are played at Kidwells Park, Maidenhead with the Premier and First Division of the winter league taking place on Monday nights. Second and third divisions play on a Tuesday and the fourth and fifth on Wednesdays.
From that first league match 40 years ago, Gina's love of the sport has not diminished and she still likes to play a game on a Friday morning.
Following the success of the Maidenhead League, 20 years ago Gina formed the SSS Netball League - The Sunningdale, Sunninghill and South Ascot councils (SSS) supporting Charters Netball. This was formed into a league in 1981. Today they have 43 teams playing on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.
In Maidenhead, at the Magnet Leisure Centre, junior netball is thriving with youngsters coming up through the ranks. In May this year, after the Maidenhead and District Netball League's 40th anniversary barn dance, the longest standing team, Magnet Jade, disbanded as players prepare to go off to university. They will have been together since Year 2, from seven or eight years old.
In 2005 Gina was awarded an MBE by the Queen for services to netball, a tribute of which Gina said: "This was the highlight of my life". It is indeed a fitting accolade to a lady who has spent most of her waking hours, to the cause of local netball. Mike Swift
What has 103 teams, over 1,000 women participants and is approaching its 40th birthday? Gina Macgregor, MBE, knows the answer. It is the netball league she started in May 1971.
After having her first child and struggling to get to matches in Bourne End in Buckinghamshire and Ealing from her home in Maidenhead, Gina put some flyers up around the, then new, Spencers Farm Estate in north Maidenhead to see if she could rally interest in forming a netball team.
Initially looking for around seven or eight keen girls, a total of 32 turned up at her door on the designated meeting night. Spurred on by this level of interest, Gina approached Castle Hill youth centre to see if she, and her fledgling league members, could use the netball court there for a few friendly matches. The manager agreed, on the condition that she coached the youth club's own Bonanza teams. And so, a meeting for the '32' was arranged, but when she arrived at the venue, it was packed, in Gina's words 'full of women galore'.
From those who attended this initial meeting, Gina formed 13 teams across the county from Boyn Hill to Pinkneys Green. And so, in May, 1971, the Maidenhead and District Netball League was formed. After a few months of friendlies, the competition started to play for points in first winter league. This year, 2011, sees the Summer League start with 60 teams made up of players who live and work across Berkshire from Wokingham to Reading in the west to Windsor, Slough and Maidenhead in the east of the county. All matches in this league are played at Kidwells Park, Maidenhead with the Premier and First Division of the winter league taking place on Monday nights. Second and third divisions play on a Tuesday and the fourth and fifth on Wednesdays.
From that first league match 40 years ago, Gina's love of the sport has not diminished and she still likes to play a game on a Friday morning.
Following the success of the Maidenhead League, 20 years ago Gina formed the SSS Netball League - The Sunningdale, Sunninghill and South Ascot councils (SSS) supporting Charters Netball. This was formed into a league in 1981. Today they have 43 teams playing on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.
In Maidenhead, at the Magnet Leisure Centre, junior netball is thriving with youngsters coming up through the ranks. In May this year, after the Maidenhead and District Netball League's 40th anniversary barn dance, the longest standing team, Magnet Jade, disbanded as players prepare to go off to university. They will have been together since Year 2, from seven or eight years old.
In 2005 Gina was awarded an MBE by the Queen for services to netball, a tribute of which Gina said: "This was the highlight of my life". It is indeed a fitting accolade to a lady who has spent most of her waking hours, to the cause of local netball. Mike Swift
After having her first child and struggling to get to matches in Bourne End in Buckinghamshire and Ealing from her home in Maidenhead, Gina put some flyers up around the, then new, Spencers Farm Estate in north Maidenhead to see if she could rally interest in forming a netball team.
Initially looking for around seven or eight keen girls, a total of 32 turned up at her door on the designated meeting night. Spurred on by this level of interest, Gina approached Castle Hill youth centre to see if she, and her fledgling league members, could use the netball court there for a few friendly matches. The manager agreed, on the condition that she coached the youth club's own Bonanza teams. And so, a meeting for the '32' was arranged, but when she arrived at the venue, it was packed, in Gina's words 'full of women galore'.
From those who attended this initial meeting, Gina formed 13 teams across the county from Boyn Hill to Pinkneys Green. And so, in May, 1971, the Maidenhead and District Netball League was formed. After a few months of friendlies, the competition started to play for points in first winter league. This year, 2011, sees the Summer League start with 60 teams made up of players who live and work across Berkshire from Wokingham to Reading in the west to Windsor, Slough and Maidenhead in the east of the county. All matches in this league are played at Kidwells Park, Maidenhead with the Premier and First Division of the winter league taking place on Monday nights. Second and third divisions play on a Tuesday and the fourth and fifth on Wednesdays.
From that first league match 40 years ago, Gina's love of the sport has not diminished and she still likes to play a game on a Friday morning.
Following the success of the Maidenhead League, 20 years ago Gina formed the SSS Netball League - The Sunningdale, Sunninghill and South Ascot councils (SSS) supporting Charters Netball. This was formed into a league in 1981. Today they have 43 teams playing on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.
In Maidenhead, at the Magnet Leisure Centre, junior netball is thriving with youngsters coming up through the ranks. In May this year, after the Maidenhead and District Netball League's 40th anniversary barn dance, the longest standing team, Magnet Jade, disbanded as players prepare to go off to university. They will have been together since Year 2, from seven or eight years old.
In 2005 Gina was awarded an MBE by the Queen for services to netball, a tribute of which Gina said: "This was the highlight of my life". It is indeed a fitting accolade to a lady who has spent most of her waking hours, to the cause of local netball. Mike Swift
This article appeared in Royal Borough Observer 01 Aug 11
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