Net gains from a local tournament

The team at Amphigean proved that we’re not just paying lip service to our Better Health at Work scheme, by entering a workplace mixed netball tournament. Taking place at the Kendal Leisure centre, the competition was organised by England Netball, as part of an initiative to encourage offices across the country to be more active. 

The idea is for staff to take time away from work together, to get involved in a team building activity with the added element of competition. The long-term benefits of a healthy workforce are well known, and include: productivity; business performance; staff morale; employee engagement and workplace wellbeing. 

Netball is a sport that lends itself well to mixed teams, which is ideal for the kind of inclusivity we were looking for. Most of the male players across the 5 teams had never played before, so naturally the ladies had the upper hand! The tournament was played in a great spirit and we certainly benefited from opposition players explaining the rules to us during the games! 

Another pleasant surprise was just how much of a workout netball offers. There is so much movement and change of direction that the muscles get a real test and it is excellent for cardio exercise. The tournament lasted several hours with all teams playing each other twice, and we looked like we’d been through the mill by the end. It’s safe to say that Amphigean was in no danger of winning it, but we showed flashes of potential and were not lacking in effort.  

Strangely, three of our male players ended up with medals, having played for the Napthens solicitors who ended up victorious! They were really friendly and we were more than happy to help them out. In fact, it was a nice opportunity simply to meet other professionals from the local area, in such an informal setting. Amphigean was also humbled to be awarded a Best Sports Team prize, which was a perfect end to the day. 

The organisers from England Netball were great hosts, and it was a really enjoyable event. If there is a similar tournament in Kendal next year, we’ll be ready to bib up once more. 

“We were a little apprehensive about setting foot on a netball court, either because it was for the first time, or because it was longer than we cared to think about since the last time! That said, everyone really enjoyed themselves, and were surprised at how energetic it actually was (or how unfit we were maybe?!). There was a great sense of teamwork, both between our own teammates and also with the other teams playing. All in all it was a great evening, and we have all said we would do it again!” 

Amphigean Project Co-Ordinator and Lead Health Advocate, Anna Martin