More Information
Louisa Brownfield
England International and Mavericks Superleague player
Louisa Brownfield
Name: Louisa Brownfield
Age: 24
Home Town: Thunderley, Essex
Playing Positions: Goal Shooter/Goal Attack
International Experience: Part of the England Senior Squad since 2004
Superleague Team: Mavericks
International Series against Malawi
How do you feel England performed during the recent Test Series against Malawi?
Overall we were happy to come away with 3 wins and at times played some really good netball however we did make some mistakes. The important thing though was that we learnt from them and dealt better in them situations the next time around.
What was the highlight of the series for you personally?
The highlight for me was being in the starting 7 for each game and putting out some good performances under our new coach.
Playing for Mavericks
How does Superleague compare to playing at international level?
Playing in the Superleague and stepping out in front of thousands of people at an international match is different in terms of nerves and intense pressure however which ever team I am playing for I go out and give 110% and strive for an elite performance.
What impact do you feel that playing in the Superleague has had on your performance?
Superleague has enabled me to be play in high intensity weekly match which in turn allows you to try out new skills and tactics as well as maintaining match fitness and accuracy.
Playing For England
How did you progress to England level?
The pathway to senior netball has changed since I was first identified. I began attending Talent Camps across the country where we would spend the weekend training, fitness testing and playing. I then moved up to the Development squad , U21 and the Senior squad.
What was it like playing for England for the first time?
My first cap was March 2004 against Australia at the MENA. I was against Liz Ellis and to be honest I was terrified!
General
Shooting performance seems to be all about statistics – how does this affect you?
Going into a match there are so many more things to be thinking about than just my stats . I know I work hard daily at the post so good stats are just an outcome of a lot of hard work.
What sacrifices (if any) have you had to make for netball?
My social life has to take a back seat on a lot of occasions but when your standing out on the court wearing the England dress, singing the national anthem you remember its all worth it.
What is your biggest challenge?
My biggest challenge at the moment is making the starting 7 and keeping that position, for both England and Mavericks.
What does your training regime involve?
We have different phases of training consisting of weights, agility, endurance, netball specific , shooting etc. Depending on where we are in our competition calendar depends on what and how many sessions we complete – some weeks can be very busy.
What do you do to relax?
I have a horse and love going out riding. I also love socialising with family and friends.
How do you cope with the match day pressure?
Everyone in our squad deals with match day pressure differently, some like to listen to their music, some like to be on there own personally I like to be around people having a chat and a laugh.
How do you cope with the physically challenging nature of the game?
Elite training and my weights programme have really helped me become tough and physically strong. There is never an elite training session that goes by without the likes of Amanda or Sonia making me feel their presence. I also don’t let a physical opponent affect my game, I just focus on my own job.
Who is your hero/heroine and why?
The people I most look up to are my parents and brother. They have experienced some very tough times but always come through – we are a tough unit.
What advice have you got for budding shooters?
4 Easy things :
Work hard : its not easy and will take a lot of time and practice
Take advice : even as a senior player you can always learn more and it could be that one little piece of advice that makes you even better.
Relax : relax when shooting – the technique should be fluid
Enjoy : netball should be fun !!
