Hawks Netball Club recently took a proactive step towards empowering its members both on and off the court with self-defence classes. Committed to enhancing the lives and skills of everyone in their netball community, Hawks embarked on a mission to host 20 community events and projects in celebration of their 20th anniversary.

Understanding the importance of building confidence and empowering girls and women, Hawks enlisted the expertise of a specialist instructor in female self-defence and taekwondo (Tamsin from Taekwondo4all). Two 2-hour sessions were organised, welcoming both junior and senior players along with their female relatives to participate.

The response was brilliant, with all 50 spots quickly filled. Tamsin, the instructor, remarked, "In the sessions we covered effective striking techniques (with lots of participants suddenly discovering they had a talent for slapping the pads!), how to respond to a grab or stranglehold, and grounding techniques to manage the 'freeze' response which is so common when faced with a threat. Everyone was really enthusiastic, and we all had a great time”.

With the success of the inaugural classes, Hawks aims to make them an annual event, further embedding essential skills into the fabric of their netball community.

By providing practical tools for self-defence, Hawks continues to foster a culture of empowerment and safety, ensuring that their members thrive both on and off the court.

If anyone is interested in creating their own self-defence classes with Tamsin, you can find her on Facebook via @taekwondo4allLeicester and @defence4women.