In another exciting development for women’s sport, Leeds Rhinos are delighted to announce their first netball squad to play in formal competition since last year’s friendlies.
The Leeds Rhinos Netball U19s Elite squad will play in England Netball’s National Performance League against teams including Wasps, Bath and Thunder. The competition squad will be selected from the Elite and Academy Long Squad (listed below) and announced later this month.
Coached by Emily Perry and Jan Hemsley, both with Loughborough U21 Squad last year plus the England Futures Squad and Leeds Athletic Northern League Squad respectively, the U19 Elite Long Squad includes quality players with experience at national, regional and school club level, with three also selected for this year’s England Roses National Academy: Alice Harvey, from Wyke College, has toured twice with England and competed at Netball Europe; Georgia Pexton, from Grammar School at Leeds, is a previous vice-captain at 2016 Netball Europe; and Annie James, from Sheffield High School, is a reserve for Netball Europe.
Next year will also see the Rhinos U17s Elite Squad playing competitive tournament netball, whilst the U15&13 Academy Squads will take part in a series of friendlies. The U17s are coached by former Loughborough Lightning coaches, Anna Carter and Maggie Birkinshaw, and the U15&13 athletes benefit from experienced coaches Vicky Palmer, former Jets coach, Gerry Plant, former Northern Ireland international, and Emily Perry. These squads are also listed below.
Since receiving the pathway to England Netball, the Rhinos Programme has extended its offering to give more players than ever access to quality training and a chance for future Elite or Academy Squad selection. U17s,15s&13s Training Hubs run weekly at six locations across the region, with Mini Netball sessions – also weekly – proving popular to primary-aged players and giving children access to netball from 5 years old. Recent half-term camps were also a success, with two including coaching from Commonwealth Games gold-medal winner, Natalie Haythornthwaite.
Gary Hetherington, Chief Executive of Rhinos, said “We’re delighted with the early popularity of Leeds Rhinos Netball and look forward to the competition season and these young athletes learning from Rugby and inspiring other young athletes. This is all against the backdrop of huge participation increases in the game nationally in the last 6 months with 130k more people playing, or playing more often, since that last-minute gold medal win.”
Anna Carter, Director of Leeds Rhinos Netball, added “It’s been a very busy few months since being awarded the formal pathway in July, but were delighted with the progress made. We’ve got a great coaching team in place, some good learning from rugby, and some great relationships with schools emerging where we can find new talent. We’re excited for the competition season ahead.”
Bob Bowman, chief operating officer of Leeds Rhinos Foundation, said “It is great to have more netball on offer alongside our other activities and to be playing a key role towards gaining a Super League franchise in the future. A great time for women’s sport and we’re pleased to be at the leading edge.”.
National Performance League matches commence in December and run through to April, with all home matches being played at Leeds Beckett University. Fixture dates will be advertised soon and spectators are welcomed.
Read more at www.leedsrhinosnetball.co.uk
Leeds Rhinos Netball Long Squads 2018/19
U19 Elite
Maisie Bickerton, Ava Arundel, Hannah Moulds, Annie James, Lucy Alexander, Jessie Ducker, Hannah Fletcher, Jess Fox, Amy McKenzie, Natalie Karkoszka, Hannah Cullens, Molly Harris, Georgia Pexton, Erin Hodgkiss, Laura Goff, Holly Walker, Megan Pilkington, Charlotte Mannell, Elisha Priestley, Alice Harvey, Laura Kelly, Esther Bean, Jess Merrin
U17 Elite
Izzy Train, Libby Bruce, Cathy Hewitt, Elias Swaine, Molly Whitlow, Emily Burnett, Freya Sugarman, Beth Taylor, Beatrice Clarke, Molly Dexter, Lydia Hunt, Ellie Chambers, Hannah Cusack, Eva Lockett, Fran Kardasz, Emmie Beaver, Liv Pringle, Fliss Stokes, Ella Whiting, Keira O’Dowd, Jess Beckley, Amy Wilcox, Eve Parker, Kate Leddy
U19 Academy
Abbie Wright, Yasmin Moorehead, Victoria Greer, Daisy Newsham, Jess Khan, Althla Cyrne, Daisy Holmes, Grace Waring, Orla Turnbull, Zahra Mirza, Eve Murphy, Megan Allen, Lily Ashford, Orli Edwards, Charlotte Beal, Orla Jackson, Nell McKee
U17 Academy
Milly Halliday, Hannah Wilson, Imogen Small, Annabelle Beckley, Layla Barrett, Liv Darrell, Harriet Mackrill, Laura Sweeney, Jess Head, Jess Larson, Anna Boocock, Georgia Barrett, Kelly Hancock, Grace Franklin, Lucy Margetson, Emma Parker, Beth Lambert, India Haydon-Wood, Milly Wright, Katie Tomlinson, Rebecca Light, Lucy Apperley, Rebecca Johnson, Zahra Hussain, Jess Farness, Kathryn Woolfall
U15 Academy Monday
Amy Burgin, Paige Ackroyd, Hollie Corbett, Annabelle Hudson, Katie Rogers, Beth Sowersby, Zara Train, Beth Whitlow, Libby Wilson, Saorise Duffin, Lydia Harrison, Arabella Higgins, Maisie Jordan, Connie Riches, Sally Roach, Mia Brocklehurst, Taliya Murray, Scarlett Birdsall, Holly Burnip, Isabelle Howse, Olivia Myers, Matilda Beckley, Yasmin Khan, Erin Lamport, Harriet King, Georgia Spratt, Sadie Bentley, Tigerlilly Romaine, Georgia Ellis, Jenna Maghairah, Helen Ebai, Marnie Scratchard, Ellie Buck
U15 Academy Wednesday
Francesca Bahadur, Ama Nyarko, Amelia Reed, Olivia Stephenson, Meabh Brannigan, Anna Fairclough, Lily Gilman, Nina Martin, Saskia Read-Farmer, Frances Farnill, Neev Kacker, Regan Newhall, Morgan Wilkinson, Abigail Conway, Amie Gregson, Sorcha Kelly, Sophie Moir, Eleanor Pearson, Charlotte Smith, Isla Swarbigg, Evelyn Webb, Freya Dockerty, Gabrielle Hobson, Siena Edhem, Maia Bausar, Chloe Bishop, Emma Grant, Anya Snaith, Imogen Rafferty, Madeline Anderson
U13 Academy
Rosabelle Cotton, Summer Anderson, Freya Bedford, Isabel Dyer, Olivia Maudsley, Poppy Moore, Maddy Rawcliffe, Grace Ross, Anna Forshaw, Sadie Pringle, Martha Taylor-Williams, Emily Dodson, Evie Iles, Maisie Jennings, Gracie Lillian Nixon, El Owen, Ruby Wildbore, Tahlia Sanders, Amy Brown-Carrera, Amber Malkin, Charley-Megan Whiteley, Emily Baron, Rosie Jones, Lucy Langhorn, Charlotte Lewis, Amelia Brooke