Super by name, Super by nature

The new Netball Super League is certainly living up to expectations as we move towards the business end of the season. In this special feature we review the Super Cup that kicked the whole thing off and speak to a coach or player at each of the eight clubs, asking them about the impact of the new competition and how it is all going. And after that we chat to Millie von Nierop, the captain of Loughborough Lightning’s NXT Gen side, who gives us the inside track on what the brand new competition is all about.

Pulse pick up first trophy

London Pulse beat surprise package NIC Leeds Rhinos 20-15 to walk away with the first ever Netball Super Cup at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield, with Olivia Tchine standing out in the shooting circle in the final.

“I am so proud of the girls, so excited,” Pulse captain and Experience Kissimmee Player of the Match in the final Zara Everitt said. “In previous years we have just missed out, we know this isn’t the league trophy but it gives us a taste of, hopefully, what is to come.”

Each game lasted 14 minutes in the competition and after the group stages of three matches each, Manchester Thunder and NIC Leeds Rhinos were sitting pretty. Pulse won just one game but sneaked through while Thunder won all of their matches by at least five goals.

The form book was turned upside down, however, as Thunder suffered heartbreak in the semi-final, going down 17-16 to Pulse with Funmi Fadoju proving the difference. The other semi-final did not suffer by comparison, NIC Leeds Rhinos edging out league newcomers Nottingham Forest Netball 15-13. Earlier in the day, London Mavericks’ Australian debutant Emily Andrew had made history by scoring the first-ever Soft & Gentle Soft & Gentle Super Shot in NSL history.

In the final, Pulse built a lead over Rhinos before pulling away in the first half when the Soft & Gentle Super Shot came into play. They established an eight-goal lead with just seconds of the first half remaining but Joyce Mvula cut the gap to six points on the buzzer.

Pulse stretched their lead in the second half and a typically athletic intercept from Fadoju allowed the London side to make certain of the trophy.

Super League brings the stars out

During round 10 of the Netball Super League at the Copper Box, before a match which saw Loughborough Lightning join London Pulse at the top of the table, the league hosted an event for a range of famous faces and influential figures from the sport, media, commercial and entertainment worlds.

Amongst a host of others, Mary Earps MBE and Ebony Rainford-Brent MBE were in attendance, showing cross-sport support among powerful female athletes for the Netball Super League, boosting profiles and visibility as women’s sport continues to rise.

The two stars form the worlds of football and cricket took to court during the third quarter break to try out the Soft & Gentle Super Shot, guided by BBC’s The Apprentice star and ex-Loughborough Lightning player Flo Edwards. To the delight of the 3,000+ crowd, both scored! Have a look at how they got on below.

Earps also spoke to former Vitality Rose Eboni Usoro-Brown live on Sky Sports about why she was so excited to watch a live NSL game. You can watch the full interview here

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A great Trip to Birmingham

Head Coach Jo Trip tells us about the experience of leading a brand-new team

How have you found the experience of coaching a new club?

Joining a new team always brings unique challenges, particularly when it coincides with the creation of an entirely new franchise. From the outset, I understood that establishing a brand-new Netball Super League team would be demanding, however, Birmingham is an excellent location for such a venture, with immense potential for the sport to grow and thrive here. Being part of the effort to bring professional netball to Birmingham has been a fantastic experience. While it has certainly presented its share of challenges – especially in terms of building processes and establishing structures from the ground up – it has also been incredibly rewarding with a number of very positive outcomes. Personally, taking on this role has been instrumental in my personal and professional growth. I’ve developed in many ways through this process, and I’m grateful for the experience.

The franchise has been quite bold about wanting success in the short term. Does that cause any issues?

It’s how we need to be. The main challenge I’ve faced this season is not having all of my players consistently available. That aspect has been particularly tough, especially knowing that we have the quality to be a top-four team. However, it has also created opportunities for others to step up. I can’t fault the NXT Gen girls – they’ve come in and delivered some solid performances.

Does the Super League feel different this season?

Absolutely – there’s a lot that feels different this season. It’s exciting to have all the games covered in the media, which brings great exposure for the sport. However, it also comes with changes we’ve had to adapt to. The venues are much larger and often less intimate than what we’ve been used to. Another major shift has been the introduction of the Soft & Gentle Super Shot, which has fundamentally changed how we approach 20 minutes of each 60-minute game. It’s a different game within the game, and we’ve all had to adjust tactically and mentally. It places a new kind of pressure on both attackers and defenders and has certainly added a fresh layer of excitement and unpredictability.

What has pleased you in particular?

Fan engagement has been a key focus as we work to drive netball forward. There’s growing collaboration between teams to boost attendance, engage fans, and share content, which is encouraging. While there’s still room to grow, it’s clear we all want to see the league thrive.

I’ve also been pleased with how quickly teams have adapted to the Soft & Gentle Super Shot. This season has been a valuable learning experience, and the product will only improve this season and beyond.

What are your expectations for the remainder of the season?

Our game against Loughborough Lightning was a big step forward in both attack and defence. The team showed real presence on court, and my expectation is that we continue building on that – becoming a stronger unit and rising to the occasion to deliver consistently on court.

I believe we’ve now reached a strong place within this playing group. We’re learning how to assert ourselves in games and stretch out leads, though we’re still working on fully converting opportunities without letting the opposition back in as some matches have become tighter than necessary. That said, the resilience we showed against Forest, coming back from a 13-goal deficit in the first quarter to take the win, speaks volumes. I’m genuinely excited to see what we can achieve as we continue to grow and push forward.

Here be Dragons

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Beth Dyke, who was recently promoted to vice-captain, tells us how the season is going in Cardiff

So, just beyond the halfway stage of the Super League season, how’s it going for the Dragons?

In terms of results and getting wins on the board, it hasn’t gone as we would have wanted. However, we have been building game-on-game and have shown that we can compete with anyone in the league.

The game recently against Mavericks was such a thriller, going to extra time, and we are just disappointed that we couldn’t get over the line. For us, it’s about being more consistent for longer periods. I’m really looking forward to the games in the second half of the season.

I think we can get some wins on the board.

That game against Mavericks was a classic, but it must have been painful to lose it at the end…

Yes, it really was! Especially because we were actually 10 goals up in the third quarter, but now with the Soft & Gentle Super Shot it showed that a lead can be reduced very quickly. We did some really good things in the game so it was disappointing not to get a win.

On the Soft & Gentle Super Shot, has it made it a totally different game these days?

I think it’s completely changed the game, even though it’s only the last five minutes of every quarter. It’s shown that the game is never over. The score can change so quickly with a couple of successful Super Shots. It can change the momentum of a game, and there are now so many more tactics you have to think about during that time, both in attack and defence.

In terms of fan engagement and excitement, it seems to have made a real difference…

Yes, it has. Whether you’re behind or ahead, the score can change so quickly. It has made the game more exciting for the fans.

What do the days leading up to a big game tend to involve?

Lots of training on court, S&C (strength and conditioning) and video analysis. We talk a lot as a whole squad about what we want to put out on court, both in attack and defence, and then we talk specifically about the opposition and identify key areas that we need to be aware of. It’s also great that we’ve now got footage from the first time we played teams, so we will also look to build on the things that worked well last time and improve on the areas we can do better.

With two brand-new teams in the competition, plenty of player movement and some fresh new venues, does it feel like a whole new tournament?

Yes, it’s been amazing to play in bigger arenas more regularly. There have also been some very close matches and some games that have even gone to extra time, which is great because we want every game to be competitive.

What are your expectations for the rest of the season?

It’s really exciting because we get the opportunity to play everyone again. We’ve learned a lot from the first half of the season. I can’t quite believe how fast it’s gone, but for us we just really want to continue to improve and get some more wins on the board.

And for you personally, having spent time with other Super League sides, how does it feel to have come back home, so to speak?

It’s great to be back at home and playing for the Dragons, who gave me my first Super League contract back in 2013. It’s a great team, we all get on well. It’s also great to work with Reinga again, she came in to be part of the [Welsh] Feathers management for the World Cup campaign. We have amazing fans that come to support us at the House of Sport and at the Utilita Arena. We want to represent Wales and the LexisNexis Cardiff Dragons with pride!

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Rhinos ready for more

NIC Leeds Rhinos’ Head Coach Lauren Palmer tells us how the season has panned out so far

What were your hopes at the start of the season?

I came in at the end of January, so I was late to the party! The group had been together since October or November time and had obviously had a bit of an up-and-down pre-season with coaches coming in and out. So I think we all felt like we were on the back foot a little bit and playing catch up. The girls were like, ‘We’d love to get top four’ but we were quite realistic and said: ‘You know what? If we can get top four, that would be amazing. But if we’re around fifth, sixth, is that realistic? Yeah, it probably is.’ But when we went to the Super Cup and got to the final! I think that gave us a new confidence going into the season and then we backed it up with a round one win. I think now it’s just about being a little bit more consistent if we want to push for the top four.

Does it feel like a new competition this season?

It does feel different. This is my first real Super League job, so in that sense it feels a little bit different anyway. But in terms of the matches, Soft & Gentle Super Shot is the one that’s really thrown the cat amongst the pigeons. We’re training for normal netball and we’re training for Super Shot. We split our sessions up that way. It’s good as a coach because it gives us something to think about and it’s definitely made me watch a lot more netball. It has broadened my knowledge and the girls have really embraced it. With the shooters, some weeks they love it, some weeks they hate it. It is definitely a bit more like a chess game.

Do you know that certain teams are going to focus more on the Soft & Gentle Super Shot?

Massively. There are a few squads out there that have got Super Shot shooters with someone that’s in more of a feeding role, whereas other squads have got two Super Shot shooters. It definitely changes the way that we’re looking at opposition teams.

Does it mean you’re looking more at stats, or were you always doing that anyway?

There’s no performance sport coaches and players that don’t look at stats, but I think we’re looking more at the specifics of where players have the most Super Shot success, where they are nailing them from, if they’ve got any weak spots, are there any patterns or any trends? We’re looking at the numbers and the clips to see if it can give us any little edge.

The three sides who have been strongest over the last few years have been together for some time now. How beneficial is that to those teams?

For Thunder, Lightning and Pulse, those girls have played together now for many a season and those connections are so natural. We’re trying to spend time growing certain combinations, building them week on week. You look at those three teams and their players probably know where the other players are with their eyes closed! So they do have that advantage over the newer franchises.

What are your hopes and expectations for the rest of the season?

We know we are good enough in the one-point game, the normal netball game. It’s in that Super Shot period that sometimes we have made a few errors at critical moments. When we played Thunder, they scored 14 points against us in 90 seconds in Super Shot! We were within three and then had 90 seconds of madness. I think that probably sums our season up so far. We’ve been clinical at times, but we’re just not consistently clinical and that’s something that we’ve said for the second half of this season we have to be better at, and the girls know that. So that’s a big focus for us if we want to try and challenge for that fourth, fifth spot.

A lot of the Super League coaches have a background in international netball and have played in the Super League itself. How proud are you of your own journey to this point?

Someone like myself has gone through the coaching set-up, the England Netball development programmes, and there’s a lot of coaches like me out there. I’m trying to fly the flag for those coaches that haven’t played international or Super League netball. There are coaches who are talented and know what they’re doing, but sometimes there is a lack of opportunity. So with this whole new competition and NXT Gen, I’m hopeful that you’ll see more coaches like myself that aren’t necessarily international netballers, but that have dedicated their time to the game.

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Mavs aiming for big finish

Soft & Gentle Super Shot specialist Emma Thacker of London Mavericks says the new league has been a breath of fresh air

How would you rate your season so far, from both a team and personal perspective?

We had a slower start to the season than we would’ve wanted, but I think we’re really finding our feet now. We’re in a really good place. We’ve shown that we can live with the top four teams as well and we’re in a good place going forward, knowing that we’re in a position where we can challenge those top teams, but also that we have the ability to beat everyone below us. We’re growing week on week, which is really exciting.

Does the Super League feel brand new this season?

I think week on week things are getting better. There were some teething issues to start, but now it’s really excellent. When we’re playing in arena games, they are full and it is really loud. Things are definitely looking up for netball and there’s been a huge shift forwards for us as players. It’s felt like a way more professional environment. We’re training during the day more and that gives us more flexibility to train hard and train well rather than just having to train in the evening every day after work. It’s just an exciting place to be at the moment.

As an international player, you’ll be more used to the bigger crowds than some of your teammates?

I’m not an experienced international but I had the recent Nations Cup and that really got me used to the arena feel. Arenas are just an amazing atmosphere to be in. It is definitely different. Playing in arenas is where we want to be and I think that’s a big step forward.

Has the netball itself been more intense?

Yeah, definitely. You’ve got the best players playing on the court. I think in previous years we’ve seen squads of 12 and three or four people in each team not actually getting on court for a good period of time in the season. Now you’ve got the best players in each team.

Are you pleased about the introduction of Soft & Gentle Super Shot?

Yeah, definitely. I think it’s improved the game and made it more exciting. Until you’ve got a 20-goal lead, you don’t actually know who’s going to win because Super Shot could change everything. Our shots are very accurate I think, and that’s shown throughout the Super Shot period, but we’re still trying to work out what works best for us in both our attack and defence and obviously there’s been a massive shift for the shooters but also for the defenders.

Did it make sense to introduce this in the Super League, given it’s already being used in Australia and New Zealand?

Yeah, definitely. I think you’ll see a real shift when people play internationally against each other. Seeing the Australian league doing it and then we didn’t do it last season – I think maybe that is the difference between them winning or losing against us in international test series. Having our shooters internationally who are all now shooting long range, I think it changes the game massively. We need to be on the same level as the Australian league and to have put it in place is important and a step forward that we needed to take.

What else has stood out for you this year?

The growth in our team. I personally had a slow start to the season and probably took a while to adjust to our group. We’ve got quite a new and quite a young group, so I think just finding my role in that, I’m really pleased with the progress we’ve made over the past four or five weeks. We’ve really shown a step up in intensity. I’m really proud of the progress that we’re making and excited for the second half of the season.

Is a top four finish the goal?

Yeah, definitely. We need to start challenging those top teams because at some point there’s going to be shifts and teams are going to be beating teams that you don’t expect. Like Forest beating Loughborough and Pulse for example. That was a shift that we didn’t expect to see. We need to make sure we’re still pushing these other top four teams in order to keep our position, because ultimately that’s the end goal. You want to be in the top four and you want to play in finals.

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Finger on the Pulse

Head Coach Sam Bird’s first half of the season could not have got any better, with Super Cup success and seven from seven before a slip up at Nottingham Forest

What were your expectations at the start of the season?

Our expectations are always very high. I think we’ve been very honest about our ambitions in trying to win the Super League and we’ve fallen short in the last couple of years, although we are really still new kids on the block. I think there’s just been a step change this year in terms of the athletes we’ve had for three or four years now feeling genuinely ready to really show that they can win the title. That’s playing out at the moment, albeit we’ve got a long way to go.

Is that down to the progression of your players?

We re-signed seven of our players, so we’ve only got three new girls on the roster. And those three are proving to be very important. To have that core has been key. We’ve already got those connections and many of them play for the Roses or are on the Roses pathway or are playing for their own respective countries. But I think also the professionalisation [of the Super League] has given an extra boost to our ability to win. I think the wraparound changes that the club has made, for example having much more physio support, much more analysis, a nutritionist, a team of strength and conditioning guys, all of that has really enabled these very talented athletes to get good access to all the care that’s needed. I think that’s been instrumental in our performances.

It must be very gratifying for a Head Coach, to suddenly have that level of support for your players?

It is amazing, but as CEO as well, I’m also holding the purse strings! It’s certainly been a step change for us to be able to provide that support. The nice thing about being the CEO as well is that I really feel like the money’s being spent in the right way and on performance in the right areas.

Going back to the start of March and the Super Cup, did you have particular plans for it?

It was great to have it as a new competition and it was quite nice to have something early in the season to try and win. You also get an early look at what everybody’s got on their roster. To see those rosters start to come to life was really exciting.

What’s been working so well for you this season?

I think we’ve been true to our identity in finding young talent. We are still quite a young Super League team and we obviously signed the youngest player in the league in Gracie Smith, and already the players, fans and coaching staff are really excited about her as a long-term prospect. It’s a privilege to give people an opportunity to play in the Super League. Obviously the places were reduced significantly this season with fewer clubs and fewer players on the roster, so I think it’s really made the players involved feel very lucky and privileged to be part of the league.

You started this season among the favourites. Is that a position you like?

I like the backing of the fans. I think there’s a lot to be learnt from the women or men on the street and what they think about your roster and what your club’s prospects are. You often get quite an honest assessment and the fact that we were put up as potential winners early on was nice to see. When you’re building your own roster you’re very inward looking and thinking, ‘Is it going to be strong enough? Can we do it?’ To have that appreciation, particularly from our own fan base, has been really important. But I think the big change is the belief within the players. You can see that from the effort they put in at training and how they push each other, but also their relationships off the court have been really strong this year. There’s lots of very natural gatherings away from the court, a lot of time spent together. I feel like they’re fully invested and have a lot of belief about what they can achieve.

Does it feel like a new tournament and, if so, in what ways?

What we have seen is a significant shift in upping our fan base. We’ve got the biggest fan base this season coming to our games and I think we play an exciting brand of netball, but there’s also curiosity about new teams that are in the league, around Forest in particular. And it has been good to have other arena games away from the Copper Box – those games are really exciting for the players and the fans to be part of.

As for the rest of the season, is it a case of just continuing as you are?

While we’ve been winning, there’s still lots to improve on. There’s not been a perfect performance by any stretch. We’ve got a second opportunity to see what the other teams are like now, and they’ve been together for longer. I’m looking forward to seeing where we sit with that and trying to hopefully gain a home venue for the playoffs.

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Culture club

Loughborough Lightning’s Berri Neil on the great environment being built at the club

How is the season looking so far?

I’m really enjoying it. The first few weeks were quite tough because we had two early losses but we’ve got a really new team this year, it’s not the same Lightning that people have seen for the past two years, so I think getting used to those combinations has been really key. The past three or four weeks we’ve really been building and the connections are growing, and the team is gelling really well. We’re in a really good position and I feel personally it’s the best decision I’ve made to move to Lightning. The support is incredible from the players and the staff and there’s just been a huge difference for me in terms of lifestyle.

How does it differ from your time at Pulse?

I was in central London and obviously affording rent there is difficult. I had a fulltime job – I was a schoolteacher – so it was really tricky working nine-to-five and then having to get to training. Sometimes even on a match day I’d have work in the morning and then go straight to a game. Coming to Loughborough, it’s obviously a lot cheaper, and I’m just doing netball full-time now, which has made a big difference in terms of just having one thing to focus on.

And everything’s in one place here. In London we’d have training on one side of London and then the gym would be another 20 minutes away and it made things a little bit harder. Here you can go to training and then to the gym straight after, and then you’ve got physio upstairs and there’s the swimming pool, a two-minute walk away. As an athlete, just having all that accessibility is so good and definitely makes a difference.

Are you seeing the impact of professionalisation on the court?

Yeah, I think so. People are training more and I think that’s really shown in the strength of the league. Every game is close and I think that’s down to getting more sessions together, getting more coaching, even just physio. It’s made a massive difference.

What have you made of the new teams, Birmingham Panthers and Nottingham Forest Netball?

I feel like they are doing amazingly. Maybe this time last year it might have been more difficult to be a brand-new team as you might only train together twice a week. Including the gym, this year we’re probably together about six times a week, including all the sessions. We’ve definitely noticed it over the last few weeks that those connections are really starting to build and I think it’s because we’ve had so much time together already.

And the competition as a whole, does it feel new?

It definitely does. I feel like having more games in arenas is so good. It really gives you energy for the game. We’ve seen a lot of new fans and I know that Nottingham Forest are doing a really good job at getting football fans more aware of netball as well. We’re seeing not just the fans that were there last year, but a lot of new ones as well. And there’s definitely a big difference in terms of the actual games as well. It is a lot more contested, there’s a lot more physicality, and I think that’s what we need.

And then obviously the Soft & Gentle Super Shot, that’s changed things massively. It feels like a new game in a way. There’s a lot of new tactics around it. It’s been interesting to learn so much new stuff this year. Every team and every player is probably learning so much about the game because it has changed so much. And I think maybe that’s why some teams have had a few hiccups. Every team has now lost a game and that’s not something that you always see at the halfway point.

What are your hopes and expectations for the rest of the season?

As a team, our biggest hope is obviously to make it three in a row. We’re getting better every game, especially technically and tactically but we’re not even at the stage that we want to be. So I think it’s really exciting that there’s so much more that we can put out there.

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Northern soul

Indya Masser on embracing the Thunder way

You came into the Thunder squad in late February as a replacement for Nat Metcalf. What has it been like stepping into her shoes?

It has been a bit of a whirlwind, to be honest! I’ve felt like it has been a crash course in learning the Thunder way, because they’re so structured in everything they do. We had a friendly against Forest and Mavs and even on the day I was learning new things!

What is it about Manchester? What is the Thunder way?

It’s their resilience and thoroughness. Previously, playing Super League against them, you always knew they’d come back hard. They’re such a strong franchise and I feel like being around that environment is so good for me – they just go for everything.

It must give you a real boost that they asked you to be a part of that?

Yeah, definitely. Obviously I was in the Super League last year with Mavericks and not getting re-signed hit me really hard. Playing in the NXT Gen league with Birmingham Panthers, I wanted to give it my all, and then getting that call from Karen Greig, well, I was pleasantly surprised!

And do you speak to Nat?

Yes! She’s such a great role model. Before maternity leave, she was there at every training session and game, rooting for us. She was great with me, asking me ‘How does that feel?’ after sessions. And then she would talk me through it. She would bring me over to the players and she’s got such honest communication and real respect from everyone. She has this leadership presence that I haven’t really experienced before. In that pre-season friendly, she was like, OK, Indya, what do you need from me from the bench? And I was like, well, I really thrive on confidence and she’s said that’s fine, I can do that. I’ll be there for you!

And the season so far, how is it going for you?

Personally, I’ve gained a lot more court time than I thought I would. I’ve never really been that impact player before so I’m trying to adapt to this new role coming on the court at half-time in the majority of games and being able to deliver something different and bring that energy and fresh legs. And I’m really enjoying that.

And the tournament as a whole, does it feel very different to last year?

It really does. And the arena games are massive. You can really feel when the crowd brings it. And then of course you’ve got the Soft & Gentle Super Shot as well. I think we’re all still learning it, attack and defence. It feels like there are a lot more tactics now, and structure. We’re just getting our head around it and it’s only going to grow from now on.

And do you think NXT Gen should adopt the Soft & Gentle Super Shot?

I’ve had this conversation quite a few times, especially coming from NXT Gen. We trained with the Super League girls so I was learning it through that. But if I hadn’t been, I think I would actually have found it quite difficult so yes, I do think the feeder league needs to include it.

And do you see international games adopting the Super Shot as well?

That’s quite a big step. It would be really interesting to see it in there but I feel like we’re still a long way from that.

And for the rest of the season, what are your hopes and expectations?

We just want to gain that consistency. Our aim is obviously top four, and then to get to the final. So just really pushing on in training, so we can reach that goal.

You’ve spoken before about your dyslexia and the challenges that can bring with training…

I feel like I’ve always just been a visual learner and I struggle to process things if they are coached in the traditional verbal way. Obviously I have been playing netball a long time, and I can kind of figure out what they’re asking me to do, but I much prefer diagrams in training, especially with our centre pass attack structures. We’ve actually got diagrams of what is expected and we change it up every game with different structures, different centre passes, different tactics, so it’s being able to quickly process that and visually understand what is expected of me.

More broadly do you find netball is open to a diverse range of people?

I do, yes. I feel like it is a really inclusive sport. I’m currently going through my Level Two coaching, and even in a school environment, being able to get everyone involved in netball regardless of various disabilities is so important. People want to play for fun – that’s certainly why I started it, just to make friends and meet like-minded people.

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New kids on the block

Iona Christian tells us how Nottingham Forest Netball are shaping up, and lifts the lid on that sensational win over Pulse

How’s the season gone so far for Nottingham Forest Netball?

Really well. We’ve had ups and downs but we knew it wasn’t going to be a perfect season being a completely new team. We have so much to be proud of and have shown that we can take on any team and the win against Pulse has definitely given us a confidence boost. We’re nowhere near our potential yet, and that’s a really exciting place to be.

Does the whole competition feel very different from before?

With having Lawrie, it’s been just over a year since I’ve been on the court, but I think there has been a real change. I’m enjoying having more full-time training spread throughout the week and throughout the days rather than it all being in the evening. And I think obviously the media and fan engagement, that’s been brilliant and having every game shown live is definitely a step in the right direction. I’m a bit biased, but I do think we have one of the best venues in the league! The whole thing is starting to feel more professional, which is what 2.0 is supposed to be about.

The atmosphere at Forest seems to be really good?

Yeah, it’s been brilliant. And that’s just credit to all the support staff and people behind the scenes that have worked really hard to create that match-day event. There is a real buzz about it and it’s a great place to play.

Is there more of a buzz because it’s a brand-new team?

Yeah, I think so. It’s a unique opportunity to be part of a brand-new club and a chance to build a culture from scratch. It’s a special thing to be part of. Considering we’re a new team, and Panthers as well, to build that fan base up from nothing is amazing, and we’ve had great turnouts at games. People are really invested and passionate about supporting us. This is only season one, so that’s really great to see.

Do you see your affiliation with Nottingham Forest Football Club developing further?

Very much so. It’s great to be backed by the football to help promote female sport as well, and there’s obviously a lot of amazing facilities and support staff that we can tap into. We’ve also managed to get to a few of the football games, particularly the women’s games, and they’ve come down to support us a few times. So there’s definitely that crossover and it does feel like we are all part of one club, which is really special. We’ve been able to promote games at the football and then we’ve had some football fans come across to watch netball for the first time and been like, ‘Oh wow, this is amazing’.

How do you build a cohesive unit from scratch?

I think Chelsea [Head Coach Chelsea Pitman] was really smart in the team she put together. There’s quite a lot of links already and several of our players have played together elsewhere. So we have a few connections to build on, but then have also created new connections. Chelsea is very big on people first, and that culture is massive. We’ve invested a lot of time into that and I think it’s paid off. It’s one of the best environments I’ve been part of.

Has anything pleased you in particular this season?

The culture has been really pleasing to see, with a real people-first mentality. And then on the court, I’ve really enjoyed seeing how we’ve grown from round one to where we are now and we’ve still not reached our potential. We’re only going to get better.

How big a shift is the introduction of the Soft & Gentle Super Shot?

I don’t think it’s changed everything, but it obviously has a big impact on the game and can definitely impact results. Personally, I’m a big fan of the Super Shot. It does make the game more exciting and has the potential to keep games close. You can go into the last quarter 10 goals down and still be in with a real chance of that changing.

You’re now a mum. How’s it been juggling netball with family life?

Forest have been amazing, to be honest. It’s been a big change and I think the phrase ‘it takes a village’ is definitely true. Lawrie loves hanging out with the team and they’ve made it a lot easier for me to be a mum and a netballer. I’m very grateful for the support that I’ve had and I wouldn’t be able to juggle it all without my husband, family and friends!

What are your hopes and expectations for the rest of the season?

We obviously want to make the top four. Ultimately we want to be at The O2. But every game in this league a big one and we need to keep building week on week and see the growth in this team.