Danny, Ben and David of the Riff Raff indoor netball team. Photo: Ellie Gibson
Wednesday 9 November 2016
By Ellie Gibson
IF you thought netball was a women’s-only domain then take a look at the 2016 Jupiters Pan Pacific Masters Games (JPPMG).
Men from a variety of sporting backgrounds, including netball, are contesting the indoor netball event at this year’s JPPMG at OzSports Burleigh.
Members of mixed team Riff Raff include former cricketer Ben Threadgold, 30, ex-AFL player David Winder, 46, and netball veteran Danny Solly, 42, who are aiming to take home a medal at the games this year after a confident win against the Vipers this morning.
Travelling from South Australia to compete, Ben, better known as ‘Monkey’ ditched the pitch and started playing social netball at the Morphett Vale club where his mother played.
“Cricket is a lot of standing around not doing much. As I got better with netball I got asked to play competitively,” Ben said.
“Having nets keeps the ball constantly in play. I love the competitiveness and skill of indoor netball.”
No stranger to netball, goal keeper Danny, who goes by the name of ‘Tickets’, started out on the open courts roughly 20 years ago having grown up alongside the sport with his mother as well.
“This is actually my seventh Gold Coast trip for the games and I’ve done some other state trips as well,” Danny said.
Danny says that he enjoys the shorter indoor court but misses the little breather he would get every now and then when the ball would go out.
“Indoor is definitely quicker. You have to have more reflexes and be a bit sharper,” he said.
From kicking goals to learning how to pivot, David may not have the years of netball experience behind him but certainly knows what it means to be dedicated.
“I got involved because my partner plays and I have been training for the last two years to compete in this event,” David said.
The boys are certainly back in town and hope to see more mixed teams participating at future games.
“Keep at it boys!” Ben said.
The 10th biennial Jupiters Pan Pacific Masters Games is being held 5 – 13 November 2016 on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia.
The Jupiters Pan Pacific Masters Games showcases competition in 43 team and individual sports and is hosting 13,000 participants from Queensland, interstate and overseas.
