Courtside – The England Netball Podcast

This special episode of Courtside gives listeners an insight into the world of coaching netball, from grassroots to the Netball Super League (NSL) and the Vitality Roses. The episode begins with Lindsey Chapman speaking to England Netball’s Performance Pathway Coach Developer Sarah Green and Coaching Project Manager Lucy Lawrence all about their work in the world of coaching. They discuss the coaches that have inspired them along the way, as well as their excitement for the future of netball coaching in England at all levels. From growing an inclusive community coach network to supporting our next generation of NSL and England coaches to develop, this chat shines a light on all the important work being done in this space, and even reveals which of your favourite NSL athletes are developing their coaching skillsets early! Next, Lindsey catches up with Loughborough Lightning Head Coach Vic Burgess and takes a deep dive into the coaching philosophy that has brought her significant on-court success in the NSL. Vic shares her journey into coaching, the challenges she has experienced as well as her coaching highlights and her belief in the importance of driving a culture of belonging beyond the court to build personal connections within her team. Many members of the Netball Family have been lucky enough to be influenced and shaped by a great coach in our lifetimes. As part of our commitment to recognising and celebrating amazing coaches all year round, this UK Coaching Week we are saying #ThanksCoach. Join in the conversation by following @EnglandNetball and @NetballSL. You can also have your say and share your stories using #ENCourtside. You can find information and resources to support your coaching journey here: England Netball | Coaching You can watch the NSL in the UK live on Sky Sports and BBC Sport. Find out where to watch each broadcast game here: Where to watch the Netball Super League

As the regular season of the Netball Super League 2024 hits its halfway mark, Lindsey Chapman reflects with Vitality Roses Head Coach Jess Thirlby on the highlights of the season so far, before discussing what fans should be looking out for as the second half of the season gets underway. They are joined by Hali Adio and Amy Carter who give NSL fans an insight into their respective seasons, including how London Pulse and Manchester Thunder have learnt from any losses so far and the big matches they’ve got their eyes set on in the second half of the season that make up their potential paths to the semi-finals! Lindsey also catches up with Jo Trip to find out all about Severn Stars’ brilliant start to the 2024 season, including why Jo believes her strategy of building a squad who are all great people off-court is key to her side’s on-court success. Stay up-to-date with all the latest news by following @NetballSL and @EnglandNetball. You can also have your say and share your stories using #ENCourtside. You can watch the NSL in the UK live on Sky Sports and BBC Sport. Find out where to watch each broadcast game here: Where to watch the Netball Super League International viewers can watch all broadcast games on NetballPass, with a half-season pass now available for just £19.95 giving you access to 22 matches, including the semi-finals and Grand Final.

As we count down to the start of the Netball Super League 2024, Lindsey Chapman speaks to NSL Managing Director, Claire Nelson, who talks us through the preparations that have gone on behind-the-scenes to make the new season the biggest and best yet. We are then joined by Beth Cobden and Razia Quashie, who tell us about how they’ve spent the off-season, explain why they can’t wait for the season to get underway, and spill all the secrets about which teams and players they are most looking forward to matching up with! Finally, we speak to the League’s newest head coach, Jill McIntosh all about her return to the Lexis Nexis Cardiff Dragons after a brief stint at the end of 2023, and what some of her newest signings will bring to the NSL in 2024. Stay up to date with all the latest news by following us @EnglandNetball and @NetballSuperLeague on socials. You can also have your say and share your stories using #ENCourtside. If you would like to start playing netball or to find a session or club near you, head to englandnetball.co.uk

It’s Netball World Cup Eve and in our final episode before the competition gets underway Lindsey speaks to two Vitality Roses who have enjoyed incredible domestic seasons down in Australia – Eleanor Cardwell and Helen Housby. In this episode, the pair discuss how it felt coming up against one another in the Suncorp Super Netball final, how they’ve transitioned back into being international teammates and what their collective nickname should be. Stay up to date with all the latest news by following us @EnglandNetball on socials. You can also have your say and share your stories using #ENCourtside. If you would like to start playing netball or would like to find a session or club near you, head to englandnetball.co.uk

In this episode of the podcast Lindsey is joined by the Vitality Roses leadership group: co-captains Nat Metcalf and Layla Guscoth and vice-captain and double centurion Jade Clarke. After landing in South Africa, the team are well into their preparations getting ready for the start of the Netball World Cup on Friday 28 July, live across Sky Sports and the BBC. The trio talk about what it’s been like working as a unit in their leadership positions, how Serena Kersten (née Guthrie) has supported the team in her position as Leadership and Culture coach, and how the team are gelling ahead of this summer’s major tournament. Stay up to date with all the latest news by following us @EnglandNetball on socials. You can also have your say and share your stories using #ENCourtside. If you would like to start playing netball or would like to find a session or club near you, head to englandnetball.co.uk

In our second episode of the second series of Courtside, Lindsey sits down with two Roses heading out to their first Netball World Cup – Funmi Fadoju and Halimat Adio. The defensive duo, who starred for London Pulse in the Netball Super League this season, reflect on what has been an amazing year for them and look ahead to their first major tournament in South Africa. From rooming with their childhood idol to almost missing that all-important selection call from the Head Coach, hear from Funmi and Hali as they share their excitement ahead of the competition in Cape Town. Stay up to date with all the latest news by following us @EnglandNetball on socials. You can also have your say and share your stories using #ENCourtside. If you would like to start playing netball or would like to find a session or club near you, head to englandnetball.co.uk.

Courtside is back for a second series, and this time we’ll be taking you behind the scenes as the Vitality Roses get ready to start their 2023 Netball World Cup campaign! First up, we chat to Commonwealth Games and World Cup winner, Chelsea Pitman. The last few years have been a rollercoaster for Chelsea after she stepped away from the sport and experienced two miscarriages and an ectopic pregnancy just before the pandemic. Returning to netball after some time with the police in Australia, Chelsea has climbed back up into the Vitality Roses squad and this summer will play in her first major tournament since the last World Cup in Liverpool in 2019. Hear from Chelsea as she sits down with Lindsey Chapman and discusses the last few years of her career and opens up on the challenges she’s faced around fertility. Stay up to date with all the latest news by following us @EnglandNetball on socials. You can also have your say and share your stories using #ENCourtside. If you would like to start playing netball or would like to find a session or club near you, head to englandnetball.co.uk.

Courtside is back! Following on from our first series building up to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Lindsey Chapman returns with a special episode of the podcast looking at England Netball’s new education programme, NETBALLHer. NETBALLHer is an industry-leading programme that aims to better educate women and girls about their bodies at different life stages. In this episode, Lindsey speaks to Executive Lead for the programme Kelly Gordon who explains how the programme came to be as well as three fantastic guests who all open up to share about their experiences within the sport at different life stages. 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Eboni Usoro-Brown talks about her experience becoming a mother and returning to the sport, Roses Academy athlete Daisy Lees tells Lindsey about her challenges with heavy periods and Netball Development Community Coach Yvonne Rhoden MBE gives her account about the menopause. Stay up to date with all the latest news by following us @EnglandNetball on socials. You can also have your say about this episode and share your stories using #NETBALLHer. To learn more about various topics related to women’s health including the menstrual cycle, pre- and post-natal, the menopause and sports bras and kit, visit www.netballher.co.uk

In the final episode of the series, Lindsey catches up with Eboni Usoro-Brown who has announced her retirement from the Vitality Roses. The pair discuss the Commonwealth Games, memories in Roses red and motherhood plus, Eboni takes on three seconds or less challenge! Also on the podcast, Lindsey takes a trip to Sandbach to chat to some inspired participants at a Walking Netball session, before catching up with England Netball CEO, Fran Connolly about the next few months. Finally, we hear from Head Coach Jess Thirlby who spoke to Lindsey just days after the final game in Birmingham. Stay up to date with all the latest news by following us @EnglandNetball on socials. You can also have your say and share your stories using #ENCourtside. A Vitality Roses side will take on the Uganda She Cranes this October and you can be there! To purchase tickets to one of the three games in Nottingham or London, visit: https://www.englandnetball.co.uk/tickets/

In this special episode, Lindsey slips her way into the mix zone at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and chats to Roses’ Sophie Drakeford-Lewis and Helen Housby as they explain what it’s like playing in a packed arena at the NEC. We then catch up with England Netball team manager, Paul Dring who fills us in on logistics and Burt the tour mascot. Plus, international umpire Gary Burgess - fresh out of an ice bath - talks about what it’s like to be an official at the Games. Finally, Blue Peter presenter, Mwaksy Mudenda and 2003 Rugby World Cup winner, Will Greenwood drop in to wish the team luck. Stay up to date with all the latest news by following us @EnglandNetball on socials. You can also have your say and share your stories and questions for our guests using #ENCourtside.

With the Commonwealth Games edging closer and closer, Lindsey catches up with Stacey Francis-Bayman to find out what the mood is like in camp and ask how it feels to be back in the England set up and compete for one final time before she retires in her home city of Birmingham. Stacey also receives a special surprise message from a mystery guest from the Suncorp Super Netball champions, and her domestic side, West Coast Fever. Lindsey then hot foots it down to Loughborough where she joins Geva Mentor at Team England Kitting Out. The pair discuss what it’s like to be part of Team England, the differences to how it was when she first represented England and what it will mean to compete at a Commonwealth Games for a record sixth time in the sport. Keep listening until the end to hear a special message of support from the famous BBC broadcaster Clare Balding! Stay up to date with all the latest news by following us @EnglandNetball on socials. You can also have your say and share your stories and questions for our guests using #ENCourtside.

In this episode we're joined by Commonwealth Games debutant, Layla Guscoth. Speaking from South Africa, Layla talks Lindsey through the Vitality Roses training camp, her journey in Roses red (featuring a special message from a mystery guest!) and the significance of a Games in her hometown. Plus, in three seconds or less we find out Layla's nickname, some of her special skills and a weird habit. Stay up to date with all the latest news by following us @EnglandNetball on socials. You can also have your say and share your stories and questions for our guests using #ENCourtside.

On a special episode of Courtside, Lindsey chats to three of the selected Team England players for the Commonwealth Games including the new England captain Nat Metcalf. Speaking at the Team England media launch, Nat reveals where she was when she got the news, how it feels to follow on from Serena and her hopes for Birmingham. Plus, a secret guest surprises Nat with a heart-warming message and we find out who is the cheekiest player in the Roses camp. Stay up to date with all the latest news by following us @EnglandNetball on socials. You can also have your say and share your stories and questions for our guests using #ENCourtside.

Vitality Roses shooter Jo Harten joins Lindsey Chapman on episode two of Courtside to discuss life in Australia, her journey from Harlow Sports Centre to over 100 caps for England and an exciting summer ahead. We also test Jo’s memory to see how well she can remember some past courts before putting her shooting skills into practice in our three seconds or less challenge! Stay up to date with all the latest news by following us @EnglandNetball on socials. You can also have your say and share your stories and questions for our guests using #ENCourtside.

In the first instalment of Courtside, we take Roses head coach Jess Thirlby back to her old secondary school in Nailsea to learn about where her love for netball began, her experiences as a player and how this influenced her journey into coaching. We also talk about the exciting summer ahead and test Jess’ shooting skills whilst answering some quick-fire questions! Stay up to date with all the latest news by following us @EnglandNetball on socials. You can also have your say and share your stories and questions for our guests using #ENCourtside.

The England Netball Official Podcast is warming up and coming soon. With player interviews, your questions, exclusive access and famous faces. Join Lindsey Chapman as we build up to the biggest summer of netball.