Whisper it quietly, but there is an uprising happening in netball and at the forefront are Loughborough Lightning, who are ready to turn the sport on its head…

“We’re hoping to encourage a regular fanbase to follow us, rather than just the typical ‘schoolgirl’ audience. One way we have attempted to do this is the ‘Bring a Bloke’ campaign, where any female who purchases a ticket can bring along a male friend for free.”

These are the words of Olivia Murphy, player/coach of ‘Lightning’, who last year led the girls to the Grand Final of the Cooperative Netball Super League, only to suffer a heartbreaking 43-39 defeat to the Mavericks.

“We have a completely different team this year to the side that lost in last year’s final. Five players have moved on and have been replaced by a younger generation. Our objective is to make it to the finals, by finishing in the top four and once you’re there who knows?”

Murphy is no stranger to a challenge, having enjoyed a glittering career at the pinnacle of the sport. But she is quick to point out where her loyalties lie today.

“I played for England 95 times, captained the side for six years and have been to three Commonwealth Games, two World Championships, winning three bronze medals in the process. The experiences I have had were incredible, but my passion now comes from helping others through being Head Coach of Loughborough University and Loughborough Lightning.”

Casting aside all stereotypes of the sport being played during P.E. by schoolgirls and reluctant schoolboys, the ‘Bring a Bloke’ campaign has received the backing of Leicester Tigers Rugby Club, who took part in the marketing launch. New Lightning skipper, Jade Clarke, is hopeful that the initiative will take off.

“We always have a lot of women in the stands and hope that free seats will get a few more guys interested in netball. People associate netball with school sport and don’t realise how fast paced and exciting games are at this level.”

And the netball revolution hasn’t stopped there. Live Superleague matches are now broadcast on Thursday evenings on SKY and a campaign has started to lobby for the inclusion of netball in the 2012 London Olympics, as a demonstration sport. Even the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, and twinkle-toed dancer/cricketer, Mark Ramprakash, have thrown their weight behind the bid.

However, Netball Development Officer, Val Kindred, has been in the game long enough to know that the hard work has only just begun.

“It’s great that the Superleague is covered on T.V., but as it is on SKY it still isn’t as accessible as I’d like the sport to be. I’m certain that the extra exposure will have a great impact and we’re also a part of Special Olympics Leicester next year, so the sport’s profile should be significantly raised in the region.”

But that exposure needs to be turned in to results for Kindred, who has worked tirelessly to ensure that potential talent isn’t discouraged from continuing in the sport.

“Generally, at the age of sixteen or eighteen, boys, make-up and things like X-Factor come in to play and I suppose we lose girls from the game. However, later in life, we tend to get quite a few back and England Netball is working hard at increasing retention levels within the sport.”

The retention issue is particularly relevant for ‘Lightning’ as Olivia Murphy explains.

“Last season was the culmination of a team that had been together for three years. Two players are now pregnant, one has retired and two others have moved to live elsewhere, so a lot of the changes were enforced.”

However, the ‘Lightning’ player/coach believes that the sport is on the up and is looking towards the impact that T.V. exposure has had in other sports and hopes to see netball follow suit.

“With over a million women and girls playing netball in this country, things will only improve with the influence of T.V. and marketing exposure, which we hope will mirror the effect of the Premier League in football.”

Ambitious aims indeed, but there are certainly signs that ‘Lightning’ are heading in the right direction, on and off the court. In addition to the ‘Bring a Bloke’ campaign, the club are looking to widen their supporter base and having a 100% record, after four games, is sure to help.

“We’re looking to build a fanbase from the Midlands region as we’re the only franchise side in this area. We already have fans that come to see us from Leicester, Loughborough and Nottingham, but I’m hoping we can encourage more from further afield.”

And there is one more challenge facing Murphy and her colleagues. The girls have taken it upon themselves to seek sponsorship for the club, in the absence of a major sponsor, to the delight of Murphy.

“A lot of the funding comes directly from the girls, who encourage businesses and friends to invest and sponsor, which illustrates just how dedicated they are to their sport.”

So, next time you’re at a loose end, head over to Loughborough and don’t be shocked if you’re struck by the Lightning.

For more information on how to sponsor the Loughborough Lightning, e-mail Olivia Murphy at o.e.murphy@lboro.ac.uk.