Last week, Super Netball held its first Inclusion Round, building on the trailblazing efforts of the Collingwood Magpies and Queensland Firebirds in 2021, when they played the competition's inaugural Pride Match.
In 2022, the Sunshine Coast Lightning and West Coast Fever joined in, championing netball as a sport for everyone and now, two years down the track, the league has launched a league-wide celebration of diversity for all eight teams.
Each of the Super Netball sides were encouraged to put their own spin on the theme for round eight.
Newcomers the Giants and NSW Swifts worked with LGBTQIA+ group Proud2Play, the Adelaide Thunderbirds hosted an individual Multicultural Round the week before at their home game, while the Melbourne Vixens chose to highlight three inclusion initiatives – the LGBTQIA+ and CALD (culturally and linguistically diverse) community, as well as people with a disability.
From the outset, it may have just looked like a bunch of rainbows were tacked on to uniforms, worn as socks or ribbons in players' hair, and used to brighten up stadiums.
But for those that are actual members of the LGBTQIA+ community, the message is powerful.
Take the Surry Hills netball club for example, nicknamed the Snakes, who formed more than 21 years ago in the lead up to the Sydney Gay Games in November 2002.
The Snakes are believed to be the very first 'gay friendly' team in NSW, and potentially even the first in Australia.
They're certainly the only LGBTQIA+ netball club listed on the Pride in Sport Directory nationwide and have participated in a range of events, such as walking in the Mardi Gras parade.
Club president David Posniak has been playing with Surry Hills for six years and his love for netball was born out of a desire to bond with his colleagues.
At the age of 25, Posniak had temporarily re-located to Cairns for work and was invited to play social netball. By the time he moved back to Sydney, he was addicted and looking for a team.
"For me personally, I think it's one of the most inclusive sports I've come across," Posniak said.
"I was never really a sporty person growing up, but the main reason netball grabbed me was because it's a sport that you really have to use all the members of your team to be successful.
"It encourages participation and teamwork from everyone on court, all players get to contribute no matter what their skill level is or their ability."
It's an interesting statement, considering the criticisms poked at the elite level of the sport over the years for its lack of diversity.
After all, there are just two players open about being members of the LGBTQIA+ community – Ash Brazill and Olivia Lewis – and one First Nations player – Donnell Wallam – currently in the Super Netball league.
Then there's the rules that have prevented boys from playing beyond the age of 12 at grassroots.
For many this has been the end of their journey in netball, unless they've been enticed back to play at a representative level later in life.
In the past year though, netball has made huge strides in this area, scheduling double headers for Australia, New Zealand and England's men's and women's teams.
World Netball also hosted these three men's national sides for the first time at the Fast 5 World Series in Christchurch in November, allowing them to contest in a separate men's division.
A number of states have started to host their own boys and men's competitions – like the M-League in NSW for example, which Posniak and a few other Snakes players have appeared in – while Super Netball teams are now making an effort to promote the men's players that have previously helped them prepare for matches behind the scenes as official training partners.
Despite the barriers boys and men have faced to play the sport, Posniak says he stands by his statement, at least from a mixed and social perspective.
"Men's netball is starting to gain more momentum now which is great, but mixed and social netball has always felt inclusive, because it's given the guys an opportunity to play," he said.
"As members of the LGBTQIA+ community, the competitions we participate in at Parklands in Centennial Park are very supportive of gender diversity and inclusion, which is also really positive.
"At Surry Hills we pride ourselves on taking on anyone from any background or skill level, any sexual orientation or gender identity, basically anyone that is looking to play.
"We have people who have never played before and people that have played for a really long time and want to get back into it, from various age groups as young as 16 to over 60."
The Snakes' treasurer, Dayle Bennett, has been involved with the Surry Hills netball club since 2017 and has a similar story to Posniak.
Bennett grew up in Adelaide and played during his school years, but eventually turned to basketball once the opportunities for boys in netball dried up.
Although the sport fell off his radar, an interstate move to Sydney meant he was looking for ways to get back into fitness and expand his social circle, when he happened to stumble across mixed netball.
Bennett was especially keen to find a LGBTQIA+ safe club, but the wonderful thing about the Snakes he says, is that you don't have to be a member of that community to join in.
"No, not at all, we are very inclusive in the sense that we welcome anyone no matter their sexuality or however they identify as female or male, we don't discriminate against that," Bennett said.
"A lot of our members are allies, they just want to meet new people or are new to Sydney.
"It's a range, we have a lot of queer, gay, lesbian and a couple of transgender members, but it's not a requirement to be gay."
Although Bennett isn't an avid follower of Super Netball, he says a regular Pride themed round could be enough to initially get him hooked on the league.
"I definitely think if this becomes an annual event, and it is widely circulated and advertised, I'd be more inclined to attend and follow the games, particularly of that weekend.
"Especially if there was a showcase of a men's or mixed game featuring members of the LGBTQIA+ community played as a curtain raiser.
"We were invited along to the Inclusion Round games in Sydney, unfortunately it was too short notice for us to make it, but we'd love to build a stronger relationship and long-term link with the Swifts and Giants professional teams."
If you'd like to sign up to play with the Surry Hills Snakes you can contact the club via their Facebook page or website.
