Summer of Sport opens up new ways to access Netball across Glasgow
31st August 2026
Hundreds of people across Glasgow have been given new opportunities to get active, meet others and experience netball as part of Netball Scotland’s Summer of Sport programme.
Delivered throughout the summer in partnership with Glasgow Life, Glasgow Netball Association, Disability Sport Glasgow and local clubs, the programme created accessible opportunities for children, adults and people with disabilities to get involved in the game.
From junior Come & Try sessions to recreational and Walking Netball, the focus was simple: make netball welcoming, inclusive and available to as many people as possible.
Opening the game to everyone
Eight Walking Netball and Cerebral Palsy Walking Netball sessions were delivered across four locations in Glasgow, providing adapted opportunities for people of different ages and abilities to take part.
The sessions focused not only on physical activity, but on confidence, inclusion and social connection, before participants came together at an Inclusive Walking Netball Festival at Springburn on 6 August to celebrate the programme.
Participants said:
“I never thought I would be able to play netball at my age, but the adaptations have shown me that I can.”
For others, it was their first experience of the sport.
“I had never played netball before, but the session made me feel welcome and confident enough to give it a try.”
The programme was delivered in partnership with Disability Sport Glasgow and Glasgow Life.
Wizzy Mills, Netball Scotland National Development Manager East (Clubs and Participation) adds:
“Working in partnership with Disability Sport Glasgow and Glasgow Life, we were able to create more accessible opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in netball and build connections within their local communities.
“The Summer of Sport demonstrated the power of inclusive netball to bring people together, increase opportunities to be active and create a welcoming environment where everyone can enjoy the game.”
Creating opportunities for young players
Junior netball was another major part of the programme, with 24 Come & Try sessions delivered across six Glasgow venues for children from P5 through to S1 and above.
Netball Scotland worked alongside four affiliated junior clubs to help expand their existing junior sections, while sessions at two further locations were specifically aimed at children who had not previously been involved in the sport.
Participants were introduced to the fundamentals of netball while also having the chance to build their skills, confidence and enjoyment of being active.
One young participant said:
“I really like playing netball outside because I get to run around, play with my friends and learn new things. I’m getting better every week!”
Parents of the young athletes added:
“Since starting the sessions, I’ve noticed they have become much more confident. They really enjoy playing with the other children and being part of a team.”
The junior programme was delivered in partnership with Glasgow Netball Association and Glasgow Life.
Eilidh Brown, Netball Scotland National Development Manager West (Clubs and Participation) said:
“Working in partnership with Glasgow Netball Association and Glasgow Life, we were able to create new participation opportunities and strengthen the existing netball provision for children and young people across Glasgow.
“The Summer of Sport allowed us to do our bit to keep young people active throughout the summer holidays. We saw some future stars in the making and we hope to see them get involved with their local netball club.”
Rediscovering the game
For adults, the programme offered another route into the sport through 22 Recreational Come & Try sessions across six venues.
Almost 400 session registrations were recorded from around 150 individuals, with sessions open to anyone aged 18 and over.
That included people picking up a netball for the first time, those returning after not playing since school and existing recreational players looking for another opportunity to get on court.
The focus throughout was on being active, having fun and creating an environment where everyone felt comfortable taking part.
The recreational programme concluded with a festival at Castlemilk, bringing participants from the different venues together for games, activities and RecNet-inspired awards.
Participants were enthusiastic about what the sessions had brought them:
“It has motivated me to do more sports and get more active, as well as look into more netball opportunities.”
“The programme brought back my love of the game – something I had forgotten in the years since I last played.”
Brown added:
“The Summer of Sport has been a fantastic opportunity to create new opportunities to get involved. The sessions demonstrated the ethos of RecNet and showed how fun, inclusive and welcoming recreational netball sessions are.
“It has been amazing to see so many new and smiley faces turn up to the sessions each week. The main aim was to get as many people across Glasgow involved in the sport as possible, and it feels safe to say we have done that.
“I hope everyone had a great time and keeps netball as part of their lives moving forward.”
Keeping the momentum going
The Summer of Sport has shown that there are multiple ways to take part in netball.
Whether someone is a young person discovering the game, an adult returning after years away, a recreational player looking to meet new people or someone benefiting from an adapted version of the sport, the aim is to create an opportunity that works for them.
With the excitement generated by netball at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, Netball Scotland now wants to build on that momentum and help even more people find their place in the game.
Inspired to give netball a try? Visit the Netball Scotland Club Finder to discover opportunities in your community.
Would you like to see more International Netball? Come along to the World Cup qualifiers being held in East Kilbride, September 25-27. Full details and ticket links HERE
