Our region, your team – here’s your Team Bath Netball squad for 2018 Superleague season
With all 15 players now named for the new Vitality Netball Superleague season, Team Bath Netball unveiled its first full-squad pictures today.
The images, issued this evening, topped a day when the team’s stars were pictured individually on social media against West Country backdrops as excitement builds towards the pre-season tournament and the league itself.
“We’re so proud to be a founder franchise of the Superleague and excited at what the future will hold”, said Team Bath Netball Head Coach Jess Thirlby.
“We love the support the West Country gives to us and we look forward to welcoming the home fans from across our region and further afield to our new reserved-seating Team Bath Arena to watch this talented group of players.
“We have blended youth and experience in what we hope will be a must-see mix”.
Team Bath, sponsored by Sitec, open at home with a potential sizzler against Surrey Storm on February 23rd after two earlier away rounds against Team Northumbrian and Celtic Dragons.
The Storm match will be the first using the new Team Bath Arena format at the University of Bath Sports Training Village. Supporters will be able to choose their row and seat number when buying tickets. The guaranteed seat gives people greater flexibility in their arrival time, the chance to watch the pre-match entertainment and more opportunity for pre-match refreshments and shopping experiences.
Team Bath will also host Sirens and Manchester Thunder, as well as visit local rivals Severn Stars and Loughborough Lightning, before the Superleague takes a mid-season break in March for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Domestic action will resume on April 22 when Team Bath travel to Coventry to face defending champions Wasps in a TV fixture. The return fixture at the Team Bath Arena is on the penultimate weekend of the regular season, with the Blue & Gold concluding their campaign at Manchester Thunder on June 22/23.
The semi-finals, played at the home venues of the top-two teams, will take place on the weekend of June 29-30 before the new Superleague champions are crowned at the Grand Final on Saturday, July 7 – Team Bath will be hoping it is them for a record sixth time.
Anna Stembridge, Team Bath Netball Superleague Head Coach, said: “We are already into full pre-season training and the players are working hard to be the best they can be. There is a buzz around this squad.”
Newcomers to the 2018 line-up include Josie Janz-Dawson, latterly of West Coast Fever in Australia, as well as rising British star Sophie Drakeford-Lewis (both pictured above).
Fan-favourites Mia Ritchie, the Shaw sisters and Asha Francis return to the fold which includes former Team Bath player Kadeen Corbin who returns from a stint overseas. Tash Pavelin and Abi Robson step up into the squad from the development pathway from which 2018 returning players Paige Reed and Jazz Scott emerged. University of Bath student and England U19 international Chartie Curtis has been named as a training partner.
Click here to see the squad and read individual player profiles
Home matches will begin at 7.30pm, unless televised by Sky when centre-pass times will be at 7.00pm, and doors will open one hour before the centre-pass time for both TV and non-TV games.
Tickets when purchased in advance are priced £13.50 for adults, £8.50 concessions and £5 for students, each increasing by £2 if bought on the day of the game. Family tickets, for two adults and two children or one adult and three children, remain at last season’s price of £35.
Season tickets are priced £85 for adults and £55 concessions, equating to nearly three free matches over the course of the year, and include access to a special pre-match reception with the Superleague players and coaches during the season.
To buy tickets or for more information, visit www.teambath.com/ticketline or call 0844 888 4412.
Team Bath Netball are sponsored by Sitec and supported by partners Mogers Drewett and Investigo. Centurion Chartered Financial Planners are supporting the team’s performance analysis capabilities, Viper 10 are their Sportswear Supplier and Skins provide the team with compression wear.
Click here to see Team Bath’s 2018 Superleague fixture list and find out how to buy tickets
