Netball stalwart picks up long service accolade

A West Norfolk netball stalwart has been honoured for her long service to the sport.At The West Norfolk Netball League Rules Forum, Sophie Pike from England Netball and Norfolk County officiating lead presented Jo Walton a Long Service Award which was nominated by Norfolk County.Walton has been involved in netball for more than 25 years as an umpire, coach and mentor together with being involved as the West Norfolk League Representative on the Norfolk county committee.From the age of seven, she was involved in the sport at her primary school and from that date there has been little respite from the sport, even carrying on umpiring when heavily pregnant with twins more than 40 years ago.During her time at Grammar School in York from the late 1960s she took an interest in umpiring and in 1970/1971 she was awarded her Preliminary Award (C Award for Umpiring) and her B Award in 2005, she also did the first stages in the old coaching award.After moving to Norfolk in 1972, there was no netball league in the area so she and some other like-minded netballers set up the league in Lynn.She also coached school teams and umpired several matches several times a week.Walton has served on the league committee since its conception and is still an active member as umpiring and fixtures secretary and continues to represent the league on the Norfolk County Netball Association committee.