April Organisation of the Month

Dinas Devils Netball club is committed to driving and developing players and have been doing so for over 10 years. Thanks to a dedicated team of hard-working coaches, these young players are given fantastic opportunities to grow both on court in Wales and overseas at organised tours. Due to the strong coaching environment and togetherness of club values, Dinas Devils are our Organisation of the Month for April.

This junior club was started by club Chair Cheryl Henson and co-founder and now coach Mollie Brodie in 2015. Both women had young daughters of similar age and wanted to increase opportunities in Cardiff for junior netball and female sports more generally. The club sessions began in a school basketball court with a handful of girls and limited equipment.

“The club’s aims were quite simple, just to pass on our passion for the sport and instil a lifelong love of netball. With the ethos of inclusivity and Cheryl’s drive the club quickly grew. I would bet that she knows every single player in the club by name.” – Mollie Brodie

The club’s popularity has skyrocketed in recent years with waiting lists in place for almost all age groups, now boasting over 180 players from U7’s to U18’s and two senior teams. Cheryl Henson is involved in every aspect of the club from coaching the U7’s to senior league teams, managing club finances, sourcing kit and securing sponsorship.

Aspiring to provide unique and holistic experiences for their players development, the club have organised tours, with a recent trip to Switzerland for their older players to play the Swiss National Team, and PGL (activity and adventure) trips in the UK for their younger players. To boost motivation and enjoyment of netball, the club often organise nights out to watch Cardiff Dragons games and those players of primary school age have been seen as mascots several times on court. The club pride themselves on creating an inclusive environment for the families surrounding the players too, who are a part of the ‘Dinas family’ and often come together at fundraising events and awards evenings.

“Dinas Devils is my family; it’s not just about playing netball it’s about being with my friends” – Dinas Devils junior player.

There is always something to celebrate at the club, from U7’s player of the week to player selections for regional and national academies. Their U14’s had played in the Cardiff and District Senior League for the first time last season and walked away with an unbeatable division 7 win. The club are particularly proud of their treble winning team, winning the Wales Netball National Club Championship titles in the U12, U14 and more recently as last month, the U16 (with eight of the squad a year young). Players are encouraged to support coaches and umpires, which some reflect is helping to grow and develop the club organically:

“Their U12’s have now qualified for nationals. I think it shows the club is growing from the bottom up with more coaches and real engagement from 14–18-year-olds in supporting the younger groups at their coaching sessions.” – Andrew Varley

Dinas Devils are wholeheartedly supporting their players on a holistic journey, developing as individuals and as netball players. Their team spirit and ethos create an abundance of motivation and comradery, and their strength in coaching is generating competitive teams who regularly show in our National Competitions. A big thank you to Dinas Devils for all the hard work they do behind the scenes to provide such positive experiences for their players.

At the halfway point of every month, Wales Netball will announce its Organisation of the Month. An article will be displayed on our website and a post will be shared across all our social media channels.

If you would like to nominate an organisation involved in the Netball community, complete the nomination form using this link: https://forms.gle/9RxwRWndbCRX4fgCA