When Robyn Bates first stepped onto a netball court in 1968, the game looked very different. Grass courts were common. Contact was almost non-existent. And for many women and girls, opportunities in sport were limited.
Nearly six decades later, as the NSW Seniors Festival approaches, Robyn remains part of the netball community she has helped shape, currently the oldest registered volunteer with Netball NSW.
It all began when North Ryde RSL (NRRSL) sent out notices looking to form netball teams for the following season.
“My daughter was at gymnastics and they were trying to get teams ready for 1969,” Robyn recalls. “So that’s how we started.”
From there, Robyn’s involvement only deepened. She served as Secretary and President of NRRSL Netball and sat on its grading committee, while also coaching and managing NRRSL teams. Her contribution extended across the region as she joined multiple committees at ERNA, including Carnival, Grading and Constitutional, and served on the executive as Insurance Officer, Ground Supervisor and Competition Convenor.
From the 1980s through until 2023, Robyn dedicated herself to the role of Competition Convenor — a position she held for more than four decades. She also managed ERNA Representative and State League teams, supporting athletes as they progressed through the pathway.
It’s a remarkable stint of service by any measure.
Her commitment has been recognised with numerous honours, including Life Membership of ERNA (1990), the Anne Clark Award (1990), the Australian Sports Medal (2000), the Australian Sports Achievement Award (2004), Ryde Sports Foundation Volunteer of the Year (2004), Life Membership of NRRSL (2010) and recognition for 50 Years of Volunteering in NSW (2019).
Across that time, Robyn saw generations of players come through, including her own daughters and later her granddaughter. Representative teams, State League competitions and evolving pathways became part of the family story. Even when her granddaughter finished playing, Robyn stayed.
“I just enjoyed it,” she said simply. “I enjoyed the company. I enjoyed what I was doing.”
That sense of community has always been at the heart of her involvement. The game itself, however, has transformed dramatically.
“It’s a lot faster now,” Robyn says. “When it first started out, you weren’t allowed to contact anyone at all. Now it’s just so quick.”
She and her husband still enjoy watching the elite competition from home, marvelling at the speed and physicality of the modern game. While she may not attend as many matches in person these days, her passion for netball remains undiminished.
Robyn officially stepped down from her long-standing role at the end of 2023 to focus on her husband’s health, a decision made with the same quiet strength and selflessness that defined her decades of service to the game.
She has witnessed firsthand the cultural shift, not just within netball, but across Australian sport. She believes the expanded opportunities for women and girls have changed the game for the better.
Thanks to volunteers like Robyn Bates, netball in New South Wales continues to thrive — built on dedication, community spirit and a lifetime of giving so others can gain.
