Kelly Walker’s passion for netball knows no bounds, having dedicated much of her life to the sport that has given her so much opportunity.
Kelly’s love for netball began at primary school in Birmingham, where she grew up, continuing to play through to university and beyond. Even now, Kelly continues to play the sport recreationally.
In 2022, the self-professed netball nut volunteered at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where she got up close and personal with the best players in the world. In the same year, alongside friend and fellow netball enthusiast Kat Tolbert, Kelly began hosting the popular podcast Replayed.
Replayed Netball
Born in the midst of Covid, Replayed is the podcast that has something to offer for “every netball nerd”, providing an insight into the game never before seen.
“There was no netball for a year,” Kelly told Fen Regis Trophies. “And the year they brought netball back was when we started the podcast.
“We wanted to know more about the players who were off-court…every netball nerd is really interested in the players and who they are as people, and we didn’t really have that then.”
Kelly has just finished up the third season of the podcast, which has become essential listening for UK netball fans.
“We just wanted to bring a fan’s point of view over to our listeners,” Kelly said “And try and get the fans’ voice out there, while also bringing them what our players are like off the court.
“Such as their personality, what they love, hate, how they fit netball in, because a lot of our players do have full-time jobs, then go to training in the evening and then play league games on the weekends.
“We have lots of nurses, teachers, lawyers, students. We have all kinds of ranges of people that have really important stuff to do off-court, and still give 100% on court
“It’s really important to myself, and for Kat, that we portray that message that these players are people, and they do so much more off-court.”
Kelly’s Long Netball Affair
Netball has always been a love for Kelly, so much so that her participation in the sport, alongside rounders, saw her win Sportsperson of the Year at Saint John Wall School in Birmingham. That was the first trophy of significance she can remember winning and, though her favourite accomplishments have come off the court, it holds significance for Kelly.
“That’s probably the one that stands out at school,” the podcaster said. “It was voted for by the teachers at the school.
“In front of the assembly, I was presented with the award.”
Looking forward, Kelly cannot see herself away from netball. Keen to remain involved in and around the game, she has no shortage of ideas.
“Away from the podcast,” Kelly said. “I have lots of ideas of what I want to do and what I would love to do for the sport.
“It’s just having the people behind me to do it, as well as the technology and everything to be able to do that.
“Hopefully, I can carry on the podcast…there are two of us that work full-time, and we both adore and obsess over netball and just want to carry on doing the podcast for as long as possible.”
You can listen to Replayed, the netball podcast by the fans for the fans, on Spotify and other podcast suppliers.
By Aaron Gratton
