Penrith Netball Win North West Club of the Year
Penrith Netball Club have scooped the award for Community Club of the Year at this year’s North West ONE Awards, held near Wigan on 12 July. These awards, run by England Netball and their nine regional management boards, celebrate the achievements of netball volunteers across the country. The initial stages are held at regional level, and it is here that Penrith NC have come away as winners. The Community Club of the Year award aims to recognise clubs that have made an outstanding contribution and a positive impact within their community over the past two years. For Penrith NC, this impact was clear in their award nominations which highlighted the club’s fundraising raffle and tournament. The event, held in September 2024, raised just over £2,700 in aid of Beep Doctors, in memory of Nichola Jackson, a member of the club who passed away suddenly in March 2024. Four club members travelled to the awards and, as part of the winner’s announcement, they were surprised with a video from Dr Theo Weston of Beep Doctors who shone a light on how the funds were used to support the organisation’s life-saving work across Cumbria. Similarly highlighted by NW Netball Vice Chair Phil Owen was the strength of Penrith NC’s Bee Netball and junior sections which have grown hugely over the past two years. The club have also introduced new Summer Sessions, returning for a second year on 14th and 15th August. These sessions provide the opportunity for new and current players, aged 6 to 14, to enjoy the sport during the school holidays, outside of the club’s regular sessions. Upon accepting the trophy, club chair Caroline Tyson expressed that this award is “not just recognition for us, but for what everybody in Cumbria is doing.” Speaking after the event, she thanked all members of the club, as well as parents, coaches, umpires, and wider supporters, stating that, “It takes more than a committee to run a club, and this award is a testament to the community we collectively continue to build each year.” Penrith NC progresses to the national ONE Awards in October to be judged alongside winners from the other eight regions and hopefully take home the national Community Club of the Year award.
Winning Start for the Swifts
The Penrith Swifts set their intentions for this season right from the get-go during their Tuesday night match-up with Meerkats 4. The first quarter saw the Swifts take an early 14-2 lead against the relatively young Meerkats 4 team, who took a while to settle into their rhythm. The Blackburn/Holme shooting duo took a fantastic run of 11 back-to-back goals before their opponents netted a first. The second quarter brought another surge of energy for Penrith Swifts as they put another 14 goals on the board, compared to the Meerkats’ six. The Swifts entered onto shaky ground in the third quarter however as they were swept up into a netballing whirlwind, giving away a number of passes in the process. The Penrith Swifts took home their highest quarter score yet to finish strongly in the fourth and final eleven minutes, further pushing their lead over Meerkats 4. Overall, it was a great opener to the 2023-2024 season for the Swifts who hope to build upon previous winter and summer league successes. They also added a new name to their roster, Zoe Heathcock, who joins the club this season. Congratulations to Zoe on her league debut, but also to Cara Watson who was named Player of the Match in this first outing. Our thanks go to the umpires and scorers for the evening, and we look forward to seeing the Swifts back out on the court on 03 October when they take on Harraby 1.
Penrith 1s take Round Five Win
Penrith 1’s 54–34 victory against Harraby 2 marks the second win for a Penrith team against this Carlisle-based side. Penrith 2s beat them back in round two, and now it was the 1s’ time to shine. They flew off to a cracking start, sinking eight goals to Harraby’s one in the first quarter alone, and winning or drawing every quarter subsequently. The first half could be described as slightly messy as both teams settled; however, Penrith were able to force several three-second calls which made up for the interceptions that Harraby were able to take. In the second half, Penrith were playing with much more confidence, and movement of the ball down-court was sure and steady. It was around the same time that Harraby really stepped up their game and pushed Penrith to work for everything, especially in the third quarter which ended with an 8-8 draw. The fourth quarter brough somewhat slower play as tiredness began to kick in. Penrith were still able to put in a winning performance however, even if they logged the lowest number of goals per quarter, hitting seven compared to Harraby’s three. Overall, it was a decent performance from the 10-strong squad for the evening, but there are still points that need to be worked on for next week’s game. Congratulations are extended to Freya Jamieson-Smith, who was voted Penrith’s Player of the Match for the second week in a row. Thanks are also given to the umpires for the evening. Penrith 1 will be on court again on Tuesday 28th June when they face Div II comrades, Mavericks in round six of the league.
Penrith 2s Take Back-to-Back Wins
Penrith 2s stormed to a 52-36 victory on Tuesday evening as they faced off with Division II comrades, Mavericks Netball. The application of handicaps in this Summer League dealt Penrith 2s a four-goal deficit before the first whistle blew, but this was quashed in the opening quarter, thanks to a strong defensive performance and solid shooting. The first half saw Penrith move steadily away, putting ever more distance between them and Mavericks, who barely saw the ball in their goal circle. Whilst Penrith 2s put away a total of 14 goals in the first half, Mavericks scored five. There were some notable errors on Penrith’s part though. A handful of footwork and obstruction calls peppered the two starting quarters which needed to be addressed and noted for future matches. The third quarter saw two fresh faces leave the subs bench and take to the court, which clearly gave the team a lift. They handed their opponents a tough hand and staved off any and all attempts by Mavericks to take even a single goal. Penrith scored 12 in this same timeframe. The fourth quarter was more sedate across the board which may have helped Mavericks take the 6-7 quarter win. Clawing back this one goal made very little difference to the rift that Penrith 2s had already developed in the previous three quarters, however, and the game ended on 52-36. Without factoring in the handicaps of 20 and 24 given to Penrith 2s and Mavericks respectively, this game would have finished 32-12 with Penrith as resounding victors. The whole team should be very proud of their achievements tonight! Congratulations are extended to the Players of the Match, Kirsty Yates (Penrith 2) and Emma (Mavericks), as well as thanks to the umpires for the evening. Penrith 2 will be on court again on Tuesday 14th June when they face Div II winners, Stewartry in round four of the league. Their match will be preceded by Penrith 1s’ second match where they’ll take on Harraby 1s.
Penrith 2s Give Defensive Masterclass in Summer Debut
This week brought Penrith 2’s Summer League debut, and what a cracker it was! The team began with a four-goal lead against their opponent, Harraby 2, but grafted hard to extend that advantage and land a 44-31 victory by the time the final whistle blew. Penrith took the wins in each quarter, keeping Harraby 2s to only one goal scored in the third! It would be fair to say that both sides had a messy start, with numerous unforced errors and ‘coach killers’ plaguing the teams. This was drastically improved as the game pushed on. Shooting eyes were most definitely ‘in’ at Penrith’s scoring ends, and props must go to the Jackson/Aris duo who worked well together to make the most of each ball. It was, however, in the mid-court and defensive end that Penrith really shone this evening. The turnover rates were high and Harraby came up against a solid barrier of Penrith opposition as they moved downcourt. Both Addison and Yates put in a sterling effort in the circle, keeping their opposing GA and GS away from the goal and forcing a number of errors on Harraby’s part. The mid-court efforts of Chamberlain, Richardson, Scoffham and Woof were also outstanding and well worth a mention. Each and every player on the court this evening fulfilled their role to a ‘T’ and put in maximum effort – it clearly paid off considering the final score. Congratulations are extended to this evening’s Players of the Match, Sarah Richardson (Penrith 2) and Tyler Johnston Graham (Harraby 2), as well as thanks to the umpires for the evening. Penrith 2 will be on court again next week (Tuesday 7th June) when they face Mavericks in the next round. Tuesday 14th will see Penrith 1 continue their campaign with a Harraby 1 match-up.
Summer League Opens with a Sizzler
Penrith Netball came away with a 44 – 42 victory over Meerkats 2 in the first round of the new Summer League, building upon their successes in the previous winter competition. This new handicap league brings together teams from both Division I and II of the Carlisle Netball League for two full months of stellar netball, and this time Penrith have two teams entering the fray. This starting match-up was hard-fought for Penrith 1s as they faced up with Meerkats 2, a Division I side. Despite this, the Penrith team consistently led in the first half of the game, even if the handicap was removed. The tried-and-tested Blackburn/Holme shooting duo led the charge in the first quarter which ended 32-17 in Penrith’s favour, but mention should most definitely be made of the mid-courters who put in a tremendous effort to keep up with the quick-moving Meerkats game. The second half of the game moved slower, and Penrith did begin to tire. They preserved all the same to cling on to the lead at three-quarter time (score of 43-33) but the fourth quarter was the real nailbiter! Meerkats pushed for every ball to keep Penrith to only one goal scored in the last 11 minutes whilst they netted nine. Sadly, it was not quite enough and Penrith beat the buzzer to take the overall victory. This match also saw the first outing for new league players for Penrith, Nat Edmondson and Jo Richards, who gave it their all and played a key part in the Penrith win. Congratulations are extended to the Players of the Match, Cara Watson (Penrith 1) and Amy Alcock (Meerkats 2), as well as thanks to the umpires for the evening. Penrith 1 will be on court again on Tuesday 14th June when they face Harraby 1 in the next round of the summer handicap league. Next week sees Penrith 2 begin their summer campaign with a Harraby 2 match-up.
Penrith Seniors Finish Winter League on a High
Penrith Netball’s Senior team ended their winter league performance on a high note on Tuesday with a convincing 25-37 victory against the Carlisle-based Mavericks. A flurry of back-to-back Penrith goals in the first quarter gave them a strong lead straight off the bat which they further built upon throughout the game. The first quarter-time score of 6-13 to Penrith was a testament to the good work of the attacking players and the Blackburn/Holme shooting combo. The second and third quarters saw the defence come into their own, keeping Mavericks to a total of eight goals over the two quarters, whilst Penrith took the turnovers and landed a total of 18 over the same period. Kudos must be given to Mavericks for their strong fourth quarter performance which saw them take a 6-11 win, taking and converting multiple turnovers back-to-back. The final league results are yet to be published by the league’s committee, but this new Penrith team should be very proud of their efforts across these past five months. They have taken six wins from nine matches, the tenth (in round three) was not played due to COVID concerns, which should place them in a strong position as they wrap up the winter league. Congratulations are extended to Mavericks’ Player of the Match, Fiona Reed, as well as Penrith’s own Player of the Match, Eve Jenkinson. Our thanks also go to the umpires for the evening.
Victory in Round Nine for Penrith Seniors
The last time Penrith met with Harraby 3s they won, but it was hard. This evening’s match was no different and Harraby 3s well and truly fought at every step. At the final whistle though, it was Penrith that came out with the victory once again with a score of 24 – 20. Penrith put out a solid start in the first quarter, quickly achieving an early five-goal lead which left Harraby chasing to keep up in the early stages of the game. At the first whistle, the quarter score was 10 – 5 in Penrith’s favour, further extended to 16 – 11 in the second quarter, with a score of seven apiece. Several turnovers and interceptions throughout the second half led to two low-scoring quarters for both teams. Harraby and Penrith alike scored only nine and eight goals respectively in both quarters combined! The fight came to a head in the final quarter where Harraby took the win with seven goals to Penrith’s three but wasn’t quite enough to overtake. A number of new combinations for the Penrith team were tried and tested throughout the game which provides a good foundation to build upon over the break for Easter – league play may be paused, but training certainly isn’t! Congratulations are extended to Harraby 3s’ Player of the Match, as well as Penrith’s own (now two-time) Player of the Match, Cara Watson. Our thanks also go to the umpires for the evening. Penrith Seniors’ final match of the main season will be Mavericks on 26th April at 8pm.
Penrith Build on Winning Streak in Round Seven
Penrith’s Senior netball team built upon their win of last week with a victory against Scotland-based Stewartry. Despite the tough match-up, Penrith pushed on to take the crown, scoring 29 goals to Stewartry’s 22. A strong first quarter for Penrith paved the way for a dominant first half, extending their 10-3 lead to 19-10 by halftime. Solid efforts in the defensive end of the court presented some fantastic turnovers for the team to convert. The second half saw Stewartry claw their way back up the scoreboard, giving Penrith a run for their money as they started to tire. The Scottish side took the win in the final two quarters by 4-3, and then 8-7. Sadly, this wasn’t quite enough to overtake Penrith’s lead! In terms of the league standings, this was a key win for Penrith and reinforces their position in the top half of the table with only three rounds to go. Congratulations are extended to Stewartry’s Player of the Match, Nadia Baines, as well as Penrith’s own Player of the Match, Charlotte Ecroyd. Our thanks also go to the umpires for the evening. Penrith Seniors’ next match will be Solway on 15th March.
Penrith Bounce Back for Round Six Win
Penrith stormed through to a solid win in Round Six of the Carlisle Netball League on Tuesday. This was the second time they had faced Carlisle-based Comets, and a second time victorious with a final score line of 33-10. Penrith’s strong start continued into the second quarter to see them take a 19-4 lead by the half-time whistle, pushed ever upwards by the tried-and-tested Blackburn/Holme shooting combo. The importance of defence was truly highlighted in this game too. An ‘iron curtain’ at the opposing end of the court provided a huge amount of turnovers, keeping Comets to single figures until the end of the fourth quarter. A handful of unforced errors peppered the third quarter when Comets began to put up a flurry of goals, but Penrith pushed back to drive the score to 27-8 at the three-quarter mark. The tiredness was creeping for both teams in during the final 12 minutes of the game, with Comets coming close to taking a quarter win. Despite the final score, it was a toughly-fought match for Penrith and helped identify areas of improvement going forward into future rounds. Congratulations are extended to the Comets Player of the Match, Jess Adam, as well as Penrith’s own Player of the Match, Cara Watson. Our thanks also go to the umpires for the evening. Penrith Seniors’ next match will be against Stewartry on 1st March.
