Three girls from Dungog are demonstrating the power of netball to form close and long-lasting friendships, with a bond that has grown over nine years.
Ruby Mitchell, Scarlett Papamau and Alice Peacock all play together for Dungog & District Netball Association – the same club they have played at since they were five years-of-age.
Since their inaugural season, the girls have come a long way in their netball path and in their friendships. Despite taking a break from the game for a few years, Mitchell has re-joined her teammates and shares her gratitude to be back on the court again:
“I enjoy playing and catching up with my teammates, socialising with each other… and mostly just coming together to play Netball,” she said on returning to netball.
A particular highlight for the trio since their reunion came in 2022 when their team won a grand-final against Medowie Netball Club, who they struggled to defeat during the season.
From left to right: Alice, Ruby, and Scarlett together again as teammates with a smile on their face.Last year, they continued their strong form in a season where they went undefeated until the grand-final. The consistent performances of the team led to the opportunity for Papamau and Peacock to play representative netball for Port Stephens together; a significant milestone in both their journeys.
Playing her first representative game at Raymond Terrace, Papamau shared that she was “very nervous” as she “always wanted to play there”.
“Everyone that I knew played in that team, all of us were really good friends,” she said.
“So I think being with people that I trusted and I was comfortable with helped me get through the nerves.”
While all three see each other at school every day, they really appreciate their time spent training and at games where they can connect with teammates beyond the school grounds.
“I really enjoy playing, staying active, and I get to see people that I don’t see at school every day,” Mitchell says.
The girls collectively agreed that the main reason they love netball, and continue to play together, is for the social and physical benefits of the game, including staying active, meeting new friends, and being with people they love to share special moments with.
However, growing such a strong bond within a team is no easy task, and the girls have some valuable words of advice on how to develop and nurture strong friendships on and off the court:
“Stay positive, and if you have negative feelings, don’t bring them out on your team,” Papamau says.
Peacock also says truth and positivity play keys roles:
“To solve issues you need to be honest about things. Don’t be negative; be encouraging. Our coaches our super helpful with that.”
As well as being grateful for their friendship, the girls say a “big thank you” to Dungog & District Netball Association for “making their playing experience easy”, and giving them a positive environment to develop together in.
Friendships like these are born on the court.
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