We’ll miss you, Sue: Eastbourne stalwart steps down

Sue Ivemy has announced her retirement from the running of the Eastbourne Netball League.

Sue has been running the league for 19 years and has grown the league to a yearly entry of 47 teams.

That makes as many as 564 active playing female members that all take to the Hampden Park Sport Centre courts on Thursday evenings.

Sue is a huge part of the Eastbourne netball community - not only for running the league but also through her work as a school teacher to many of the women that still play in the league.

She has been a coach to many and a mentor to countless others to gain coaching and umpiring qualifications.

Sue was initially running her own Hornets Netball Club that entered the netball scene 20-plus years ago.

She is a huge asset to netball in Eastbourne and will be greatly missed by all the players involved.

Everyone in the league that knows Sue will all have had a different relationship with her.

It might be that she has been their school teacher and nurtured their learning since school age into adulthood – or just that they know of her wonderful kindness displayed at the courts on Thursdays, faultlessly running the league evenings for all the players to be able to get on the court.

Many players have been taken under her experienced netball wing to become the great players they are now.

Sue is also a qualified umpire and has strived to help many other players to become qualified umpires themselves.

She is also a qualified coach and is involved with both adult and junior netball clubs constantly and enthusiastically motivating women and young girls to play to their highest abilities.

Everyone that knows Sue considers her a friend and she has relentlessly fought for the players to keep playing the sport they love.

She has made tremendous efforts to secure better courts, better equipment and her all-round efforts to make sure women have something they can really enjoy outside of their home lives.

It is no secret that netball is an amazing tool for mental health and encourages women to be social and make lifelong friends.

It is fair to say all local netball players owe Sue their gratitude for the many years of support she's given them.

It is a very sad time for the league to lose such a community netball hero and for everyone it just won't be the same without her involvement.

The message from the league, new league organisers Michelle Salvidge and Sophie Marsland and the many players is clear: “We thank you Sue for everything you have given to Eastbourne ladies that love to play netball – and you will be missed so much.”

Do you know of a local sporting stalwart – like Sue – who deserves praise in the paper for their efforts and commitment? Email [email protected]