There is so much that is good about team sport quite apart from the actual sport itself – playing with your mates, winning with your mates, celebrating with your mates.

It engenders a healthy ‘all for one and one for all’ mentality that is particularly apparent in a sport like rugby.

But it’s not just rugby which embraces such a spirit, there are other sports too, including netball.

And Jess Lewis, who plays for Old Chelts in the Gloucestershire League, believes the bond that ties team-mates together is even stronger in netball than it is in rugby.

“There’s only seven players in a netball team,” she said, “so everyone has to get stuck in and support each other. No one can hide. You’re out on court as a team and it’s a fast game.

“With only seven players you rely on everyone to move the ball up and down the court. You’re part of a family.”

Jess, 29, a teacher at Bournside School in Cheltenham, plays at wing defence, adding: “It’s an important position, every position is important.”

She is in her sixth season with Old Chelts and in that time has played regularly for the first team, coached the seniors and coached in the thriving junior set-up.

These days she is on the club’s committee and plays for the second team in Division Three of the Gloucestershire League. They are known as the Jets while the first team, who play in the Premier Division, are known as the Bullets.

The club were formed in 1986 and as one of Gloucestershire’s premier clubs they offer players the opportunity to progress form high 5s netball, through junior and county leagues right up to premier level.

They are a silver CAPS accredited club, which is a kite mark issued by England Netball and hold a Club Mark Award.

“We’re a large club,” added Jess. “We run a junior and senior section. We start the players off in primary school years four and five and run junior teams from under-12s all the way through to under-16s.”

That takes some organising, of course, and as always with clubs the size of Old Chelts Netball Club, it requires a lot of hard work by a number of people to make things happen.

“Sharon Spencer does a massive amount for the club,” said Jess. “She’s our secretary, she watches, supports and coaches our teams.

“Then there’s Rita Kester who looks after the finances, she plays for the Jets.

“Caroline MacKenzie is an Old Chelts original. She set up the club and has been involved for about 30 years. Her daughter Bonnie coaches the juniors.”

Jess has a long way to match Caroline MacKenzie for longevity, of course, but she still very much looks forward to matchdays on Saturday afternoons even though she recently became a mum for the first time.

Her daughter Elodie is one and Jess said with a laugh: “Netball is my escape!”