Year 8 and 9 netball players travelled to Loughborough University on 9 January to meet with the England Netball team and watch a warm-up session and match.

The visit was organised in association with TeamUp England, a three year campaign set up by The England and Wales Cricket Boards, England Hockey and England Netball, to maximise the legacy of the three women’s world cups being held in England in 2018-19 and build a broader fan base for women’s team sports.

Students were treated to a welcome pack upon arrival, which included a netball signed by the England team, and experienced the impressive sporting facilities a university setting has to offer. Watching the warm-up sessions gave the young players an insight into useful drills and skills practices and the importance of preparing physically and mentally before a match. They were then treated to a full match experience, watching the England Roses compete against the England A Team before meeting the players and engaging with them in a question and answer session.

Year 9 player, Millie Kingman, thoroughly enjoyed the experience: “It was inspiring to watch netball at such a high level and to see some of what it takes to become a top player. It was really interesting speaking to the Goal Shooter to get some tips on how to consistently score goals. We are hoping to take everything we have seen and apply it to our game to hopefully make us better players.”

Physical Education Support Assistant, Chantal Greep, said of the trip: “It was fantastic for our students to be able to see these talented sportswomen in action. It is incredibly important for our young female players to see what can be achieved in their chosen sports through hard work and commitment. We are looking forward to applying some of the techniques to our own game and continue to inspire these young women to flourish in the sporting arena.”