Following on from the good news that Community netball can start back from the 29th March, Sussex County Netball Association will be publishing further details in due course regarding the County and Satellite Academies for this season and 2021/22.
We appreciate your patience and thank you for your continued support whilst we review the process in line with further guidance from England Netball when this becomes available.
Performance Pathway
The England Netball Performance Pathway is a vital part of improving the standard of competitive netball played in England, with its main aim to ensure an increased number of better quality athletes progressing into the England High Performance programme. The Pathway will act as a "conveyor belt" for high quality English athletes, taking players from year 7, all the way through to the Senior National team.
It is hoped that the England Performance Pathway will:-
- Increase the amount of direct athlete-coach interaction and time in the Academies, across all the different levels
- Provide year round training programmes for athletes
- Increase the number of athletes in the U17 and U19 age groups
- Increase the competition and formal match-play opportunities for athletes in the Pathway
- Educate and develop coaches in the Satellite and County components and support the development of both school and club coaches with a "top down" nationally led approach
- Profile and benchmark players on the Pathway to understand their trajectories of development.
Sussex Netball Academies
Sussex run on behalf of England Netball a Satellite Academy for under 13 athletes and a County Academy for under 15 athletes being the starting points of the Performance Pathway. Number of academies depends on number of applications and standard.
The aim of the Academies is to provide training to athletes aged between 12 and 15 who are identified as having potential for progressing up the Performance Pathway. The Academy sessions focus on developing individual skills to help each player to reach their potential.
Satellite Academy (Under 13) athletes have a programme which consists of 30 hours of coaching and match play normally starting September through to April. They can be nominated by their Club coach or, if not already at an England Netball approved club, they can be nominated by their PE teacher. Applications are invited for the Academy each year. The current selection process is being reviewed and will be published in due course.
County Academy (Under 15) athletes have a programme of 60 hours of coaching and match play and also start in September through to April. Athletes normally graduate to the County Academy once they have attended the Satellite Academy and are considered to be of the required level. Screening of other athletes not coming through the Satellite Academy will be offered by either trials or arranged sessions.
Once a player graduates from County academy they are signposted to Academies run by the Super League franchises – Surrey Storm being the SL franchise for Sussex. Surrey Storm also talent scout for under 15 players to play in the annual under 15 Performance Competition involving under 15 teams from all franchises in the Country. Surrey Storm were runners up in 2019.
2021/2022 Season
Due to COVID, Academies did not run as normal between September 2020 and April 2021.
Following the announcement of the Government to allow Community sport to recommence on the 29th March 2021 outside, the Academy programme will be restarted and details will be made available here and on our social media platforms in due course.
Any queries regarding Academies this year may be directed to :
Lisa Packer - scnacomms@gmail.com
