About Us

Richmond Skippers Netball Club, is a not for profit community group, that aims to assist primary school aged girls, have the opportunity, To get involved in netball.

Our aim is to coach & encourage these girls, in a supportive and safe environment and give them confidence which will support them in all aspects of their life. We currently have 11 teams playing in the local Yarra Netball Competition.

Our History

Richmond Skippers Netball Club was founded in 2019 by local residents Kate and Cecelia, who wanted to make netball more accessible for girls in the Richmond community. They noticed that, despite having courts and a local competition at Ryan’s Reserve, many girls were missing out on playing netball simply because there wasn’t a local club to join. Unlike sports such as football or basketball, parents had to form teams themselves — something that can be tough when life is busy or community connections are still growing.

Richmond Skippers was created to change that — to provide an inclusive, welcoming, and supportive club where girls of all abilities and backgrounds can learn, grow, and have fun through netball. We believe cost should never be a barrier, so we offer fee assistance for families who need it.

Testimonials

“My daughter has Autism Spectrum Disorder and has been a very reluctant participant in sport, particularly team sport which has traditionally been a challenge for her to navigate and not something she has been able to participate in. She has completely thrived under the personal care of Kate and Cecilia who have been wonderful mentors for her and helped develop confidence in her to participate in games with her peers and I am delighted she is now more active and has found a sport she loves and is enjoying the experience immensely.”

“The best thing about Skippers is the sense of community with emphasis on fun and giving it a go. The club has a good mix of kids from all the schools in Richmond so it is a great way to make friends from other schools. My daughter started a new high school this year and it was so lovely that she already knew some girls at school through netball.”

“The early Friday morning training sessions and Saturday games have brought a sense of structure and discipline to our routine that I honestly didn’t think was possible. We’re so grateful to the Richmond Skippers for fostering confidence, teamwork, and joy in these young players. Thank you for making netball such a positive and enriching experience!”

“My daughter ASD and joining clubs, especially sporting ones when you are neurodiverse can be very challenging. The Skippers is such a welcoming non competitive environment that she felt at ease right away. She now plays representative netball where she has friends from all across the community which she would never have if it was not for the existence of the Richmond Skippers.”

“My daughter had struggled with other sports and her starting netball and joining the Skippers has been a game changer.

She has become closer friends with those in the Skippers team at her school and has bonded with girls from local schools that she otherwise wouldn’t have met. She looks forward to each week and seeing the whole team develop in 2023 was inspiring.

As I’ve heard more about the Skippers story I have become keener to see the girls supported and thrive. I grew up in Richmond, and played at Ryan’s Reserve when it first opened. Regrettably not much has changed in terms of the ability of Richmond schools to pull together netball teams. That is until I heard about how the Skippers were deliberately focusing on North Richmond schools that for decades have been underrepresented in local support.

The Skippers ethos and approach is at the core of getting young girls active and participating. It is blind to background and means and focuses solely on getting girls on the court. I’m proud my daughter is part of a Skippers team and hope to see many more years of Skippers success.”

“Several of the girls in our team have difficult family situations and turning up to training or being able to afford a uniform is not straight forward. But your care and support has made sure no one misses out. This is what community is all about and this is what team sport can do.”

“As a parent of Richmond Skipper, and a child who struggles with a specific learning difficulty, I have seen my daughter grow in self confidence, self belief and worth. She has learnt invaluable life skills such as teamwork, commitment, perseverance, and resilience. She is learning to be community minded, inclusive and accepting of peoples differences and skill levels. As an individual I feel connected to my community and proud of my daughter and her team.

On a community level I have seen this team offer something to children less fortunate than my daughter, children experiencing vulnerabilities, and children who need to be supported by their communities.

It provides opportunities for connection and belonging, and as in my daughters case opportunities for personal grown in confidence and life skills, and indeed improved health.”