Couch to Court: new beginners’ netball course launches at Carn Brea

For a lot of women, netball is something they left behind at school, along with the bibs and the whistle-happy PE teacher. Red Choughs Walking Netball wants those women back on court, along with anyone who has never picked up a ball in their life, and they have built a six-week programme designed to make that first step as easy as possible.

What Couch to Court actually involves

Couch to Court starts next Thursday, 10 September, at Carn Brea Leisure Centre, running weekly from 6pm to 7:30pm. Sessions cost £5, and the first one is free to try before committing to anything.

No experience is required. Every rule of the game gets explained as the group goes, and players are encouraged to move at whatever pace suits them, taking breaks whenever they need to. Walking netball keeps the same basic rules as the regular game, the difference being that players walk rather than run and do not jump, which opens it up to people of pretty much any fitness level or age.

There is no obligation to attend all six weeks, though the club recommends getting to at least four sessions to feel the full benefit of the programme. It is open to any adult, and the existing membership already spans decades, with players ranging from their thirties to their seventies and beyond.

Come and watch first if you are not sure

Anyone still weighing it up can drop into the club’s regular session this Thursday, 3 September, the week before Couch to Court begins. There is a spectator viewing area to watch from, or players can head down to the court itself for an informal chat with the club before deciding whether to sign up.

“So many women tell us they used to play netball at school and always wanted to get back into it, or that they’ve never played but fancy giving it a go. Couch to Court is our way of saying: come along, we’ll show you everything, and there’s no pressure at all. It’s as much about the friendships and the laughs as it is about the netball,” said Claire, of Red Choughs Walking Netball.

📷Credit: Red Choughs Walking Netball

How to book

Places for Couch to Court can be booked online through the club’s booking form. Anyone with questions can get in touch with the club directly or find Red Choughs Walking Netball on Facebook.

Red Choughs is a Cornwall-based walking netball club open to women of all ages and abilities, offering a low-impact way into sport, fitness and new friendships, all without the running and jumping of the traditional game. Whether it is muscle memory from a school gym hall or pure curiosity that gets someone through the door on 10 September, the club’s message is the same: turn up, and they will take it from there.

📷Credit: Red Choughs Walking Netball