Netball Scotland is thrilled and excited to announce that 2012 Olympic Gold Medallist Katherine Grainger CBE has agreed to become their Patron. Grainger – who is Britain’s most successful female rower – won gold in the double sculls along with partner Anna Watkins at the 2012 Olympics in London last year. The Glaswegian has won three silver medals in previous Olympics, and has also an impressive six world championships titles under her belt. Katherine’s fantastic year of achievement in 2012 was topped off by being awarded the CBE at Buckingham Palace. More recently she was named Scotland’s Woman of Influence at a prestigious awards ceremony held in Glasgow, as well as receiving the award for Inspirational Performance at the Sunday Mail sportscotland Scottish Sports Awards and a coveted shortlisting for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. (Full details of Katherine’s achievements, work and charitable partners can be found via her website http://katherinegrainger.com)
Netball Scotland’s Chair, Freda Hutchison, felt that Katherine’s achievements both in and out of her sport made her the perfect role model for other Scottish girls and women wishing to get active and take part in a sport – either as an athlete, or as a supporter or volunteer – and was delighted when Katherine Grainger agreed to be the organisation’s Patron.
Freda said, “I think it is very important for us to have a successful Scottish sportswoman as our Patron to encourage and motivate women and girls to participate in the sport of netball and who better fits that bill than Katherine Grainger CBE’’.
Katherine is keen to help Netball Scotland as they prepare for the World Youth Netball Championships in the Emirates Arena, Glasgow, later this year – which was launched today in front of the new Hydro venue, the venue for the netball finals during Glasgow 2014 – and the Commonwealth Games, also in Glasgow in 2014. Although a rower, Katherine enjoyed playing netball during her school years and sees the sport as a fantastic way of not only getting active and participating in a sport, but also of making friends and building new skills. And with all the major International netball events that Scotland is hosting over the next 18 months, Katherine knows that there is no better time with which to get involved with the sport.
Katherine said of her new position as Patron, “I feel deeply honoured to take up my new position as Patron of Netball Scotland. I think netball deserves much more recognition than it gets and if I can help to raise awareness of the events and opportunities around the sport here in Scotland, then I will be delighted. I enjoyed netball as a girl, and I enjoyed joining in the training sessions with the Thistles and the children of Holycross and Hyndland secondary schools.
Sport has enriched my life in so many ways and I would love to see more young people getting involved and getting active, and I think netball is a great sport to get started with.’’
