History of the Club
Civil Service Netball Club has been in existence for 45 years. It was started in 1975 by Civil Service employees who were offered premises at The Hollies Sports and Social Club, adjacent to Suffolk Showground. The local league then only had 2 divisions and games were played at Copleston High School.
The club members trained on the car park with changing facilities in prefabricated huts. Fundraising was then undertaken to extend the area to a full court. This was then later followed by two enclosed courts provided by the Civil Service Sports Association. Club members increased with the teams being named after various wild cats. Membership was not restricted to Civil Servants, thus allowing anyone to join.
Civil Service Netball was then encouraged to start taking juniors due to a teachers' strike, meaning no after school activities. It began at Thurleston High School and then an offer came from Hollywells High School to continue there free of charge at the time. The club then relocated there permanently. The school became Ipswich Academy and the club moved with them to new premises next to Gainsborough Sports Centre. U11's playing High Fives was soon introduced, giving early training to junior players, which bore fruit later on.
A few years later, the club was offered the opportunity of a partnership with St Joseph's College with its sports hall and three excellent outdoor courts. Being able to play at the same premises together created a sense of family and home, and Civil Service Netball Club has certainly benefited.
Civil Service Netball now boasts fielding 8 Senior CS teams; Pumas, Leopards, Panthers, Jaguars, Tigers, Bobcats, Cougars, Lions, and 5 Junior CS Lynx teams, as well as a couple of CS Lynx Cubs teams.
The club members trained on the car park with changing facilities in prefabricated huts. Fundraising was then undertaken to extend the area to a full court. This was then later followed by two enclosed courts provided by the Civil Service Sports Association. Club members increased with the teams being named after various wild cats. Membership was not restricted to Civil Servants, thus allowing anyone to join.
Civil Service Netball was then encouraged to start taking juniors due to a teachers' strike, meaning no after school activities. It began at Thurleston High School and then an offer came from Hollywells High School to continue there free of charge at the time. The club then relocated there permanently. The school became Ipswich Academy and the club moved with them to new premises next to Gainsborough Sports Centre. U11's playing High Fives was soon introduced, giving early training to junior players, which bore fruit later on.
A few years later, the club was offered the opportunity of a partnership with St Joseph's College with its sports hall and three excellent outdoor courts. Being able to play at the same premises together created a sense of family and home, and Civil Service Netball Club has certainly benefited.
Civil Service Netball now boasts fielding 8 Senior CS teams; Pumas, Leopards, Panthers, Jaguars, Tigers, Bobcats, Cougars, Lions, and 5 Junior CS Lynx teams, as well as a couple of CS Lynx Cubs teams.
