As part of our exhibition REsult! The Sapper and Sport, we focus on some of the sportsmen and women of the Corps. Here, Spr Bailey writes about her life with netball in the Corps.
I am Spr Jessica Bailey, currently posted to 21 Engineer Regiment.
Netball has always been a part of my life from a very young age so it seemed very natural to attend the Corps Netball Camp to try out for the team. Given the Corps has few servicewomen, it means that it is a positive way to get together and play some sport. As 2021 was my first year to compete, I was eager to meet new people and also catch up with some who I went through Basic Training with.
Participating in Netball has so many benefits for me both on and off the court. On the court there is no rank, we all refer to each other by our first names, which helps us all feel comfortable. As we are all servicewomen in RE, we are able to share our lived experiences in our regiments across the Corps, and offer advice or ideas in a supportive way, something I find helpful.
Everyone plays their part in the team and our best starting seven are put forward, depending on fairness and availability. Although everyone member of the team is given a fair chance to compete, ultimately we are there to win, leaving everything on the court. The proof of this was shown at the 2021 Inter Corps Competition, where we finished highly in Division 1, our highest ranking ever.
Follow @royal_engineers_netball_team on Instagram for more from the Corps Netball Team!
REsult! The Sapper and Sport runs from 5 April – 18 September 2022
8 April 2022