ASICS put on a show at world first netball festival in Sydney
![](https://cdn.central.rookieme.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/02/IMG_1683.jpg)
SEVERAL Diamonds, Silver Ferns and NSW Swift athletes were in attendance at the World’s First Netball Festival Celebrating Confidence over the weekend in Sydney.
The event was supported by NETFIT who provided netball-focused fitness, coaching, skills and nutrition programs to young players.
Exclusive workshops involved group warm ups and smaller sessions where the players learnt new skills and had an opportunity to play with the pros such as Ameliaranne Ekenasio, Paige Hadley, Maddy Proud and many more. Workshops focused on attack, defence and team building to help build confidence in the young players’ game.
Golden ticket winners aged 10 – 15 had the chance to meet ASICS Ambassadors and players from the Diamonds, Silver Ferns and NSW Swifts. The ambassadors were involved in skills workshops, a panel offering advice to young players struggling with confidence and shoe and gear signings. Attendees also had the chance to grab a photo with their favourite players at the ASICS Village.
ASICS has done research on how team sports are perceived in Australia and how a lack of confidence in young players can lead to not participating in sport later in life. ASICS aims to encourage young netballers to take part in activities to strengthen their confidence.
The main reasons participants stopped playing sport was because of schoolwork (35 per cent) and the feeling they’re not ‘good enough’ (18 per cent).
ASICD Ambassador and psychologist Meg McClurg said the stats on the next generation of netball players is alarming.
“This statistic is quite striking and may indicate insecurities young women often feel at this age and/or social pressures and expectations of young women, overlooking the benefits that come with playing sport beyond their teenage years,” she said.
“Demonstrating to young women that team sports are a valuable outlet for stress relief, can help to build confidence, and promote a sense of community with like-minded people, subsequently helping lessen this divide.”
Netball is the number one team sport played by females but it’s viewed as the least celebrated. Fourty percent of Australians rank the sport as the one receiving the least amount of recognition compared to basketball (33 percent), soccer (10 percent), rugby league (seven percent) and Aussie rules (four percent).
McClung outlined three tips for parents and coaches to help build confidence in kids through sport. They were to praise effort and specific skills, create a positive team culture and guide them in setting and reflect on goals.