Breadth and depth of exciting young netball talent in South West leads to Blue & Gold setting up new U18 development squad

Twenty-two promising young netballers from across the South West of England have been named in Team Bath Netball’s new U18 talent development squad.

The squad, which will be coached by Chantelle Cox, provides a link between the existing U17 and U19 age groups. Following a period of virtual training they are due to return to on-court sessions at the Team Bath Sports Training Village during April in line with England Netball’s ‘return to play’ roadmap.

Natalie Roddy, Team Bath’s Academy Head Coach, said: “We identified the need for this group as we have so many young talented players coming through, we see these players as the U19s and U21s of the future.

“All of the players selected impressed at our U19 trials and were identified as having the potential to move up to that age group in future. There isn’t a set competition structure for U18s, but our aim is to create a match structure that challenges, develops and prepares them for NPL competition in the future.”

Many of the players selected supplement their club training by attending a Team Bath Netball Academy Development Centre in their local area, with ADCs situated in each region of the South West from Gloucester in the north to Cornwall in the south. The talent-development network is supported by Haines Watts, Team Bath’s principal partner.

2021 Team Bath Netball U18 squad

Maisie Arnold, Madeleine Birch, Tia Chaloner, Esme Cornelius, Lucy Creed, Emily Cridland, Annabel Cripps, Tia Davies, Holly Gaiger, Bronte Goddard-Lock, Annie Grief, Megan Hamilton-Strong, Sophie Harrison, Georgia Hellerman, Ineke Johnson, Iolabelle Lake, India, Leetham, Isla Niddrie, Olivia Ralph, Eloise Spacey, Lowri Stephens, Lily Tomlinson.