Net gains in the Army

Major Rebecca Glover combines her love of netball with a career as an Army doctor

Had you always wanted to be in the Army?

Since I was about 13! I decided I wanted to do medicine fairly early but I never wanted to spend a lifetime in hospitals. At school I met with an Army careers advisor who sold me the dream of being paid to play sport and travel the world! I applied there and then, successfully being awarded a Sixth Form Scholarship and later a University Bursary. Once at the University of Sheffield, I joined the Officer Training Corps, later transferring into a Reserve unit. When I graduated in 2018, I commissioned into the Regular Army and I’ve been here since then.

And was it sport that attracted you to the Army?

It was the variety. To have the opportunities we do in the military and to incorporate sport into our day-to-day jobs is amazing.

And was it always netball or did you play all sports?

Netball was always my best sport. I used to play hockey, tennis, rounders and did ballet but when I went to university, I dropped everything else. I joined Sheffield Medics Netball when I started university and it was hugely influential. Netball was how I found my friendship group and it completely changed my university experience for the better.

And after university?

I did two years of hospital training in Birmingham, where I joined another local team, and then was posted with the Army in 2020. There was a hiatus of a year or so where I didn’t play any netball and then one of the nurses I worked with roped me into playing for our Unit team for the Festival of Sport.

All the medical units in the Army attended for a day of sports and we won the netball! After this, I was never allowed not to play again! Netball is such an amazing sport because it breaks down all barriers and completely levels the playing field. This is often a challenge in a hierarchical organization like the Army, but as a doctor, knowing the medics personally and being approachable is essential.

As an Army doctor, what do you do?

When in the UK, I work in a military medical centre, providing primary healthcare to serving personnel and their families. Alongside this, we are deployed globally to cover exercises and operations.

As doctors, we are officers, but I think it’s really important that the soldiers we work with are able to raise their concerns. Netball has really helped me in this way, by knowing so many of them now through the sporting world, they see me as a friend rather than an unapproachable higher rank. Teamwork, communication and leadership are some of the many skills we learn from sport and rely upon in our day jobs.

And what is your greatest non-netball Army experience?

I hope it is still to come! I am part of the Army team of four women who are rowing across the Atlantic in December this year. We will row two hours on, two hours off for around six weeks, until we reach Antigua roughly 3000 miles later. Our campaign ethos is promote, inspire, belong - we want to use this amazing opportunity that we have been given to promote women, inspire others, and build a sense of belonging in a bigger team.

So what would you say to people thinking about joining the Army?

I always wanted a diverse job and that is exactly what this is. I am so grateful for the opportunities that I have - to be part of small teams working in challenging environments, incorporating sport and personal development in our work.

Sport, and especially netball, is hugely supported within the organisation. The people I’ve met through through netball, are the people I turn to when I am working at the other end of the country and need a favour, who I trust and am lucky to call friends. It just brings everybody together.

Find out more about Becca’s rowing challenge: www.forceatlantic.com