Show notes
Men’s netball isn’t new, and it isn’t asking to take anything away from the women’s game. So why are boys and men still fighting for the opportunity to play?
In this special episode of Here If You Need, Emily and Nia are joined by men’s netball trailblazer Colyn Gordon and Nathan Dart, director of the world-first men’s netball documentary Rising to the Occasion.
Colyn reflects on discovering netball as a schoolboy in Jamaica, the abuse and physical violence male players endured, and the community that kept him coming back. He also explains how netball carried him through bereavement, cancer and some of the darkest moments of his life.
Nathan takes us behind the documentary and shares the stories that changed its direction, from boys being forced out of the sport they loved to the uncertain future of the Australian pathway.
Together, they explore:
• Why men’s netball has been erased from parts of the sport’s history
• What happens when boys reach the end of the pathway
• Whether netball can protect women’s spaces while welcoming men
• The commercial opportunity the sport is overlooking
• Why men’s and women’s netball can and should thrive together
• The players you need to watch
• Some Commonwealth Games predictions that have aged brilliantly… and others that haven’t
Plus, Lucy Goodman previews the 2026 UK Men’s & Mixed National Championships in Loughborough, with the players, teams and matches to look out for.
This interview was filmed in July, before the Commonwealth Games, so we’ve left the predictions in for your entertainment.
Content note: This episode includes discussion of bullying, physical violence, cancer, bereavement and suicide.
Watch Rising to the Occasion: https://storyboardproduction.gumroad.com/l/RisingtotheOccasion
Find out more about men’s and mixed netball: https://www.englandmmna.com/
Get tickets for Finals Sunday, 30 August: https://www.englandmmna.com/event-details/tickets-2026-uk-national-championships-finals-sunday
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
