Residents' netball team goes for gold

The all-singing, all-dancing residents of CLS Care Home, Holcroft Grange in Culcheth, have recently added netball to their long list of talents. Having already produced a touring music group, the residents now have a netball team, the ‘Golden Oldies’.

With an average age of 90 years, the team members polish their throwing, catching and shooting skills twice a week, in training sessions run by the home’s Activity Coordinator-come-team coach, Christine Carroll.

‘Coach Carroll’ comments: “The idea for the team came about when we were doing the residents’ usual exercise session and one of our residents, Rose Page, threw the ball to me as if she was shooting it into a net. The residents burst into stories of how they loved playing netball and other sports when they were younger, and so, we set up practice, and then a team”.

Despite having only practised for a few weeks, the ladies are already exceeding expectations in terms of both their ability and motivation to play. Having started practising with floor nets, scoring was too easy, and so residents quickly moved onto much taller ones, which stand at a more suitable height for their strong throws.

Staff have been particularly impressed by the ability of the team’s eldest member, Olive Cook, 101, who describes herself as a ‘netball all-rounder’.

Christine Carroll continues: “The game is great exercise for the residents, and lots of fun. When I tell them it’s time to practise, they get very excited, particularly Rose, who rushes off to put her trainers on”.

Holcroft Grange’s recent netball activities have also provided an opportunity for the seamstresses of the home to get involved. Resident and former wedding dress-maker, Ethel Lee, used her sewing skills to guide fellow residents, Phylis Halstead and Brenda Coleridge, in making the team’s homemade, blue bibs, which have each team members’ position written on the front and back in glitter.

The Golden Oldies are encouraging residents of other CLS Care Homes to organise their own netball teams, in the hope that they can put their skills to the test in some home-on-home competitions.