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Cardinals Netball has been awarded the Trotman Trophy, Woking's highest sporting honour, for its continued growth and inclusivity.
The Trotman Trophy was introduced in 1971 in memory of E.T. Trotman, the first chairman of Woking’s Sports Council, making it the oldest and most prestigious sports accolade in the borough.
The Trotman Trophy recognises outstanding performance, development or services to sport and has been awarded to both individuals and clubs in the past. Notable recipients include Olympic rower, James Cracknell OBE and modern pentathlete, Kate Allenby MBE.
Cardinals Netball was founded in 2011 by two netball loving mums, Kate Carthy and Hilary Hooper, and a decade later, the club is now recognised as the third largest junior netball club in the country.
Kate and Hilary are both Woking born and bred and were motivated to set up Cardinals Netball when their daughters showed an interest in the sport but couldn’t find a club close to home.
In 2016 Cardinals won the Outstanding Club of the Year Award (London & SE Region) at the England Netball Vitality Golden Globe Netball Volunteer Awards. Today, the Cardinals have a team of around 30 coaches and junior mentors, and over 500 members ranging in age from reception to U19, either playing netball or training on a weekly basis.
To support the club’s growth, Cardinals Netball recently moved weekend training to the new Eastwood Leisure Centre, familiar territory for Head Coach, Kate Carthy, who grew up in Sheerwater and attended Bishop David Brown School.
Not only do members play and train in ‘cardinal red’ like their footballing counterparts, the club also makes reference to the borough in its choice of team names, examples of which include the Sheers, Saints, Heaths and Brooks to name but a few.
When presented with the Trotman Trophy, Kate Carthy, said: “It’s a huge honour and quite incredible to see Cardinals Netball Club engraved on this trophy alongside some really notable figures. It means such a lot to Hilary and I, and to the whole of the Cardinals coaching team, to have our contribution to both the sport and the borough recognised.”
“Being able to offer girls in Woking, and the surrounding area, the opportunity to play sport, meet new friends, keep fit and stay healthy - it’s just an incredible feeling.”
Cardinals Netball is a Silver Caps accredited club and has players of all ability, from beginners to numerous players who are in the England Pathway, or playing for high-level county franchise teams as well.
Hillary Hooper, Head Coach, said: “We’re an inclusive club with a friendly atmosphere. You don’t have to try-out to join Cardinals Netball - if you want to play netball, and we have space, then you’re welcome to join regardless of ability. There’s something for everyone, and at our club we recognise that members like to train for different reasons. There’s a great social aspect, competitive netball if that’s what you want, fun and fitness for all.”
For more information about joining the club, please visit the Cardinals Netball website.