Regional Academy
Netball East run a Regional Academy to support talented athletes in the Region with the aim of helping players reach their potential. This hopefully enables them to progress into the National Talent League (Junior equivalent to Superleague) and the England Excel Programme.
The East Talent Coach is the head coach at the Regional Academy and delivers training along with giving athletes an online athlete management programme. The online programme helps players with their responsibilities outside of the Netball training sessions, such as their fitness training and nutrition.
Each Regional Academy session has a particular training focus and running alongside the session is a tutored workshop for coaches. To see the detailed programme click here.
Focus is on working within units and aerobic conditioning. At this stage there is greater individualisation of fitness and technical training. The emphasis remains on training with competition being used to test and refine skills.
Outcome of the programme: To achieve the standards outlined under Regional Academy in the Excel Guidelines.
Age of Players: Recommended as U17 but age range to be kept flexible to cater for individual needs and maturation. For advice contact the Regional Excel Coach.
Progression: Nomination to national screening. Athletes who fail to achieve a nomination to national screening are recommended to seek further development at club level, competing in regional league and/or possibly National Premier League.
Fifteen year old Mechell Daniel shares her experiences of being part of the Regional Academy:
"As a member of the Regional academy squad you train once a month for a three hour session, which is held in Hatfield, Hertfordshire. The training sessions that we receive are designed to assist you to achieve the high standards required to play at national netball levels. The training sessions are focused on specific skills for each session. The squad does not participate in any competition or events, the coaches’ focus on improving their players.
There are also specialist sessions for different positions, which I think is a great opportunity to be coached on a specific position and learn new skills.
We record a training diary on sport plan online, which players complete and your coaches can view your records, all your matches and active sessions.
Every two weeks we are also required to attend REX (Regional Extension Centres) netball training sessions held in Colchester or Bedford depending on the area you are from.
The Regional training sessions has brought real benefits to me and my club because I can put all my new skills into my matches.
At the Academy training sessions, you receive quality coaching whilst working and training alongside a high standard of players.
From the Regional academy, I would like to be nominated for National screening to progress further in my netball."
Screening Results
This weekend 24th and 25th of April the East region held its Cross County Screening trials for young talented netballers to attend.We would like to say a huge congratulations to the following girls who have been selected for Regional Screening on 11th July. From here the girls are then selected for Regional Academy and Sam Bird (Headcoach of Mavericks Youth) will also be attending to invite some of the athletes to trial for Mavericks Youth on the 18th July. The successful girls are as follows:
Results from Sat 24th April at Colchester