Want to be part of the Team Bath Netball experience? Volunteers sought for Superleague service
The 8,000th Team Bath Netball fan came through the Sports Training Village doors this week to continue a record-breaking season for the Superleague franchise.
Attendances for five of the six home matches so far during 2015 have been well into four figures, including Monday’s epic televised encounter with defending champions Manchester Thunder.
The largest turnout was 1,739 against Surrey Storm – and the biggest for any game last season was 1,300. A record 120 season-tickets have also been sold, compared to around 24 a couple of years ago.
With two mini mascots helping to build the atmosphere at every game and pre-match entertainment from the Susan Hill School of Dancing, plus MC Ben Williams, the Team Bath experience is one more and more people clearly want to enjoy.
But you can also be part of ensuring that game-day runs smoothly and safely, as Team Bath Events Manager Lisa Ashcroft explains.
“We are always on the lookout for volunteers to help out,” she said.
“During a season like this we need at least 22 volunteers per game for things like getting people downstairs into the seats.
“At some games this season we’ve only had 50 seats spare, so our volunteers have to make sure each person is only in one seat and there is room for groups to sit together.
“We have schools which buy 72 tickets at a time, so fitting all those groups in is something we haven’t had to think about before. Each game we think ‘this is something new’, so that’s why volunteers are critical.
“As soon as the game starts, their role is to be a steward in the seats and make sure everyone in their area is safe. So for that hour and a half, they get to watch the game as well.”
A great way for young netballers to get involved is to be ball girls – but this is so popular that all 16 places at each Superleague game are usually taken within minutes of the fixtures being announced in October.
Don’t despair, though, because there is a new way for youngsters to get closer to the action.
“Because we had so many girls wanting to take part, we have introduced flag-bearers this season to greet the players as they come out onto the court,” Lisa explained.
“We get school parties from as big a radius as St Ives and Oxford who want to get involved, pretty much the whole South West.”
If you would like to be a Team Bath Netball volunteer, ball girl or flag-bearer, email events@teambath.com.
Tickets are now on sale for the final Team Bath Netball home game of the regular Superleague season, against Celtic Dragons on Monday, April 13 (7.45pm).
Doors will open at 6.45pm, with pre-match entertainment and warm-ups from 7pm. Tickets are available from http://teambath.ticketline.co.uk/ and http://tickets.sky.com/Netball/Team-Bath.
Carter Jonas are Team Bath Netball’s property partner, Surridge are the Team Bath kit supplier and Skins provide the team with compression wear.
