Planet Mad

Have got that happy, glowy feeling. It happens a lot with this job. And it's not just caused by the consumption of alcohol.

This term it's been my privilege to take the school's Second VII netball team. The 8 girls concerned have been fantastic: enthusiastic, fun, and competitive enough to want to win, but not so sport-fixated that they have a nervous break-down each time they lose. Over this term we've won some matches and lost some... swings and roundabouts, as with most sports teams. They've put up with a lot: the school's hockey teams got through to the national finals at U14, U16 and U18 level, so netball's been a bit of a non-priority this term and they have me as their umpire and chief coach (I got kicked out of the school netball team at the age of 9 and haven't played since, plus I'm the female member of staff most likely to drink 20 pints and eat a curry - the world's most unlikely netball coach!!) Tonight they all came round, drank wine, chatted, made their own pizzas, ate pancakes and were generally great. Am a happy bunny.