Generational talents

You will all no doubt be glued to the Netball Super League but did you know there is another brand-new offering making its debut? As part of the sport’s journey towards professionalism, the NXT Gen League has been established to give top-level netball a structure that allows young talent to thrive. We spoke to Millie van Nierop, the captain of early pacesetters Loughborough Lightning, to find out more

NXT GEN – ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW!

Which teams compete in NXT Gen?

The League features nine teams, eight of which are aligned to NSL clubs, alongside Team Bath.

Who is in each squad?

Each squad has a minimum of 16 and a maximum of 20 players. You can find out about the teams here.

What is the format?

The League began in February and sees all nine teams play each other twice in a home and away format to find a national winner, with fixtures aligned to NSL matches where possible. With its own distinctive brand identity, the NXT Gen League is closely interconnected with the NSL but exists as a standalone competition.

PHOTO BY DEAN WILLIAMS

Who is eligible to play?

Athletes under 23, although squads can include up to four players over 23 to support and enhance the quality of the competition, whilst protecting opportunities for developing athletes. These players are likely to have previously played in the NSL but not have been signed as a registered player this season, or they may be players over 23 returning from pregnancy or injury, or players that clubs believe will support the competition and environment for the NXT Gen League.

Can NXT Gen athletes play in the NSL?

Players registered within the league will be eligible, providing they meet the eligibility criteria, to act as a Temporary Replacement Player (TRP) for their club’s NSL squad, in instances where one of the ten registered NSL players are not available for selection due to short term circumstances.

PHOTO BY ANNABEL LLOYD

Tell us about the competition

Well, it’s new this year, it’s kind of a trial run, but it’s been really good to get exposure for our age group. There’s a lot of drop-off when you leave U21s and if you don’t get an NSL contract, what is there for you, apart from going back to your clubs? So I think it’s been really good to have games of this calibre.

So the competitive edge is still there?

For sure. Not having the Super Shot means the games are still playing out normally, and it’s great to have both home and away games – although it does make the season a lot longer! It is kind of replicating the NSL, which is ultimately what everybody wants. I think it’s been a really good start.

And the idea is that NXT Gen teams align with their NSL sides?

Yeah, pretty much. I was coming out of the U21s last year, so for me, unless I had got a training partner place or an NSL contract, I would have dropped out of the system. I’ve got my club that I can play for, but franchise-wise, there’s a very narrow window. Just getting older means that you don’t have those same opportunities.

And do the NXT Gen athletes feel properly part of Lightning?

We do, yeah. In pre-season we trained with them every single week and we’re with them now. We are navigating it from a franchise point of view – what works best for NXT Gen and for NSL. For me, I’m in with the NSL a lot, which is a real positive. The girls are so welcoming. So I guess we do all feel part of it and it’s great that we’ve got their support. We’re always at NSL games, and then they’re supporting us, which makes you feel part of that Lightning family.

And standard-wise?

It’s high, very high. I think that’s what the sport needs, and it’s what we, as athletes, want to bring. You’ve got the standards of NSL running through our pathway, to hold you to account. We’ve got off to a cracking start this season, which is brilliant, but it’s not been easy. We’ve had to work hard for it and it all starts from that training environment that we create.

There’s obviously been a big buzz about the NSL in general, with more coverage and bigger venues. Are you seeing that reflected in the crowds coming to watch your games?

There’s definitely more than we’ve had in past years. Take last year – when you’re playing on different days to the NSL games, it’s a lot harder to get people there. But when you are the curtain-raiser as part of a double-header, as we have been a lot of the time this year, you are always going to get more coverage, which is what the sport needs. People turn out to watch because they want to make a day of it. And actually, they get to watch some quality netball as well. And obviously we’ve been in arenas this year, which is just amazing to have that opportunity.

Is every squad using their four over 23 player quota?

To be honest, I think it depends on the team and who you are. For us, we’ve got two over 23s, which is amazing that you’ve got that opportunity. But overall we’re a very young side and I think that’s due to being connected to a university as well. We draw in a lot of young players, but I think you can look at it both ways. The older players bring the experience, and a calmness. For me, I continue to learn a lot off our older players, and it’s not just about developing at netball, it’s about developing as a person. We really look up to them for experience on the court, but also, off the court, with how we want to portray ourselves.

PHOTO BY HUW EVANS AGENCY

How does it feel to be captain of a title-chasing side?

Amazing. I feel really privileged to have this opportunity. It’s bittersweet losing Niamh [Niamh McCall] who was our captain to injury. But I’m loving it, and I just hope that I’m doing a good job and that the girls think I am. I love being that role model and setting these high expectations because everyone wants to win at the end of the day. On the court, off the court, we’re big on behaviours and values at Lightning, because that’s what we want to ensure we’re portraying on match days, and how we want to live every single day. It is tough when the matches are tight and it’s high pressure, but we’re learning every time.

And the rest of the season, what are your expectations?

We set the target at the start of the season that ultimately we want to win. But it’s not just about that title. It is about getting better each week. We can’t afford just to settle. We are developing as a team, but also individually, and we’ve got our targets that we set each week and we’ve got our stats that we have to meet. So even if we’re winning, we still need to be meeting expectations with those stats. I would say we’re pretty tough on each other, but I think again, that’s how we thrive and that’s what drives these expectations. The goal is to go back-to-back and follow in our NSL footsteps. So that’s the dream for this season. In this first season of NXT Gen, to be title winners would be a great stepping stone for us.

View the latest NXT Gen league table