Together we rise - a legacy for the sport not just Gibraltar

The launch of the World Youth Netball Gibraltar’s 2025 branding this week brought to the forefront the significance of what it means, not just to Gibraltar, but to the world netball community, for the success of such an event. With a World Netball Youth Cup not having been played since 2017 due to the pandemic, the 2025 games take on a significant role on the courts for the twenty teams that will be converging on the Rock. Significantly for Gibraltar, it will possibly be the one chance for some generations to play against the very top guns in the sport. Gibraltar is yet to break into the Championship divisions in Europe, let alone qualify for a World Cup.
At a time when netball worldwide is gaining prominence, the Youth World Cup is also seen as a springboard for many players into the higher levels of the sport; for some, the potential of turning professional, while for others, the games are hoped to provide the inspiration that will leave a legacy for the future as players see what is possible. The World Youth Championship would also provide Gibraltar’s current youth players with their own display window to showcase their quality in front of a bigger and influential audience, while providing the Gibraltar netball community and youth players a view of what can be achieved. This, as Gibraltar’s national Head coach Sarah Payas commented, would provide a legacy for future generations, providing new targets for players that would hopefully help Gibraltar continue its progress in developing its game into the future.
While for Gibraltar, the games themselves will provide their own legacy, showing what can be achieved and how it can deliver on and off the court, the hope that the games will be a success is also seen by netball’s international bodies as a potential catalyst for further growth to the sport itself at a global international level, with Gibraltar acting as an example of what can be achieved.
This was emphasized by Lyn Carpenter, representative of Europe Netball, who during the launch on Wednesday’s highlighted how, in her time in the game and since she had been President, she had seen a growth in the number of members from just over 50 nations to 84 member nations now involved. There was, however, hope that by demonstrating what can be achieved by a member association such as Gibraltar, other member nations would be inspired and look towards the future development of the sport at a higher level, possibly even attracting new members into the fast-growing netball community, and attracting new regions to consider the possibilities of developing the sport themselves where they might not have been present.
Gibraltar had already demonstrated its contribution in Europe, showing how even a small nation like itself can successfully become a valued member in the sport. Gibraltar is one of only six nations in Europe currently considered member associations which can host international events, having already met the criteria set by the governing body for hosting such events. It was now, however, to prove that it could deliver on an even bigger scale. The World Youth Netball Championships will see twenty nations converging on the Rock, among them Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji, along with the likes of England, who are expected to qualify.
While not a senior-level tournament, the Youth Championships are at a level in which the top players will see it as a stepping stone towards a career in the sport, for some with the professional game within their grasp. While on the sporting front, Gibraltar will have a long steep pathway to compete against the very top nations, it will be the actual organization of the event that could prove the biggest legacy for Gibraltar.
From travel to accommodation, nutrition to security, logistics to venues, service industry facilities, catering, and beyond, Gibraltar has already set up a non-profit-making company that will oversee the event and bring it all together. GSLA CEO Reagan Lima, although highlighting how the event was far bigger than many imagined, was confident Gibraltar would deliver using its experience from past events as a foundation. Highlighting how the Island Games had drawn bigger numbers in attendance than the World Youth Championships are expected to, he explained how the organizing teams were already drawing on ideas and experiences from events such as the Island Games to build towards 2025. Mr. Reagan highlighted how Gibraltar was far more prepared than many people believed, with infrastructure already in place that many did not readily realize existed after the numerous events Gibraltar had hosted. However, it would have to provide the necessary infrastructure, including a wooden sprung floor which would be temporarily installed for a March Europe Netball event, before a decision is made on how to proceed for 2025.
Although the Championship had been delivered to Gibraltar through the efforts of Gibraltar Netball and the reputation it had gained through its hard work and fast-growing development, the World Championship was a Gibraltar event. As such, Tuesday’s launch saw officials highlight how the support from across Gibraltar was once again necessary to ensure its success. Gibraltar Netball had succeeded in the past through the efforts of its many volunteers. However, the World Youth Championships would require greater numbers. Already the Government of Gibraltar was fully involved in delivering the event, which would be one of the biggest sporting events to be hosted on the Rock since the Island Games. As many sports observers pointed out, while the Island Games was a major event, the World Youth Championships, being just one level below the Netball World Cup, were significantly more complex, as the mix between top nations, amateur players, and pros would be evident across the field. This brings a new dimension to what Gibraltar can deliver at this level of sport, especially at a time when it seeks to bring together sport as one of the event-led tourism initiatives for future economic growth.