[Sport] Returning to sport: Wasps netballer Josie Huckle on school, lockdown and teaching

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Josie Huckle (Wasps) starts our four-part series on 12 months of teaching and coaching through the coronavirus pandemic - Lindsay Keable (London Pulse), Karyn Bailey (Surrey Storm) and Laura Malcolm (Manchester Thunder) will share their journeys through the week

 

Wasps Josie Huckle has balanced a return to Superleague action with her job as Head of Netball
Three weeks after schools reopened to all children, sports clubs have now also welcomed everyone back.

Last Wednesday, the government confirmed that the country could continue its phased return to normality and England Netball quickly followed with confirmation that grassroots netball had the green to start welcoming players back.

Following confirmation from the Government, we are delighted to confirm that grassroots netball in England can restart on Monday 29 March 🙌 
 
Here’s everything you need to know to get back on court safely 👇

— England Netball (at 🏡) (@EnglandNetball) March 24, 2021

It's been 13 months of disruption, innovation and avoiding boredom for many in all walks of life, with only a very brief respite as lockdown restrictions were eased for a short period last year.

Sky News guide to lockdown easing roadmap
Watch Vitality Superleague on Sky Sports YouTube
Now, as outdoor sports facilities open and organised outdoor sports resume, football, netball, rugby and hockey clubs are opening their doors once again, we spoke to four netballers who've juggled the last year of athlete uncertainty with inspiring the next generation in their roles as teachers and coaches.

 

I am head of netball at Bedford Girls School and I've been here for about five years, so I run the netball programme with a lot of help from the rest of my PE department. We run from juniors to seniors, so we coach across from Year 3 up to Year 13 - which means that we're in touch with a big mix of ages groups.

The Year 7s now are the ones who came in with me from Year 3… I've seen them grow up through the school, which is amazing. I'd love to stay and see them through until Year 13 as adults going out into the world.

I got into teaching through coaching, so when I was a kid I got my level one and level two coaching badges when I was about 16. So, I've been really lucky in terms of always having coaching jobs… when others were working in a local shop, I was always out running around with younger kids and coaching them netball.