‘Sports should be for everyone’

HEAD COACH of the Jamaica men’s netball team Shawn Murdock said while the sport is growing globally, the negative perception and stereotypes in Jamaica continue to be the greatest hindrance to development.

Murdock said in his experience as a coach in netball for both men’s and women’s teams, he has realised the Jamaican culture is one that is not open to welcoming change or accepting things it deems abnormal.

This also extends to men playing netball, a sport widely considered in Jamaica as a woman’s game.

“I think we are one of those cultures that would not be open to embracing some things,” Murdock said.

“But here we are 2024 and the traditional thing is that it is only for females, but that is not the case. The sport is being elevated and there’s a push for men’s netball to be in the Olympics and for it to get to the Olympics, both sexes should be in the sport.”

‘It is about inclusivity’

Murdock said the rejection of men’s netball goes against the principle of sports which calls for inclusivity and freedom from discrimination.

According to the coach, a player’s gender should be not used as a way to limit their passion for any specific sport.

“Sports should be for everyone. I don’t think we should be limited to any particular effects, certainly not in 2024. It is about inclusivity and so men and women are playing the sport,” he stated.

“I mean, the females are breaking all the barriers that would have been existent around sports all the time. Women are playing football, rugby, cricket and any sport you can name. So they have already set the pace in terms of breaking all those barriers.”

Murdock also said the negative comments regarding a player’s sexuality being related to playing netball has also hampered the growth of the sport in Jamaica.

He said it is a stereotype which has followed men’s netball for years and has actively discouraged players from competing in the sport as well as fans from turning out and supporting the games.

He stated it is not the business of the men’s national team to ask about a player’s sexual orientation nor prevent players from competing due to their sexual orientation.

“It is a big challenge. I feel like with every other sport, nobody cares about what a person’s sexual orientation is and certainly at the national team level it is not our business of knowing,” he said.

“People’s lives behind closed doors should only be their business. It is unfortunate that it is a stereotype that has affected the outlook of the sport. A person’s sexuality is not something that we study or try to figure out or try to tell them how to do. When they come to netball, it is only about playing a sport that they love, and sports as I said before should be for all persons.”

Murdock said there is still a lot to be done if men’s netball is to create a solid platform in Jamaica.

He said the various organisations and administrations involved in sports will have to play their role to ensure the team is able to continue to develop at a national level.

He explained the men’s netball team has only recently joined the Netball Jamaica umbrella and hopes for a successful relationship between both parties for years to come.