Show Notes
Carla and Leanne welcome Baroness Sue Campbell, Chair of England Netball, for a fascinating conversation about the future of the sport. From her own journey as an England netball player to helping transform women's football, Sue shares her ambitions for growing the game, improving grassroots-to-elite pathways, investing in facilities and coaches, and building a sustainable Netball Super League. With the 2031 Netball World Cup on the horizon, she explains why netball needs greater investment, visibility and ambition - while protecting the brilliant community at its heart. Plus, stay tuned for some lively netball opinions and a game that proves Carla might be better at asking the questions than answering them! Thanks to our partner Akuma Sports - For top quality custom kit produced in the UK, visit: https://www.akumasports.com/sports/netball/ Please follow or subscribe so you don't miss out on any new content. Whether you’re a player, coach, or fan, you won’t want to miss an episode! The opinions and suggestions in this podcast are intended for entertainment only and should not be taken as professional advice. Listeners are responsible for their own decisions — we just provide the laughs.
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YOUR HOSTS
Carla A self-confessed netball addict, I’ve been playing for nearly 14 years and basically live and breathe the sport (my husband insists on calling it “a hobby,” but we all know better 😆). When I’m not on court, I’m running multiple businesses, wrangling my five kids, and squeezing 20 tasks into every day. I work at 100 miles an hour and get more done before lunch than most people manage all week, fuelled entirely by Diet Coke and donuts. Leanne A netballer since the age of nine, I’ve somehow managed to arrange my entire life around a netball court! I still play regional netball, mostly at GD, coach at club and within the London Pulse pathway, run my own business helping netballers stay strong and somehow thought adding podcast host to the list was a sensible idea 😆. I’m married, a mum of two, partial to a ridiculous physical challenge and have very strong opinions on pretty much all things netball, including why women absolutely do not need to stop competing just because they’re getting older.
More from The Best Netball Podcast EVER!
Thanks to our partner Akuma Sports - For top quality custom kit produced in the UK, visit: https://www.akumasports.com/sports/netball/ Please follow or subscribe so you don't miss out on any new content. Whether you’re a player, coach, or fan, you won’t want to miss an episode! Carla and Leanne celebrate winning a national ONE Award before chatting to two inspiring players shaping the future of netball. Lily Smith shares her journey from signing a Super League contract at just 16 to earning a place in the next Roses squad, including the highs and challenges of stepping up to elite level. Scottish Thistles vice-captain Hannah Grant reflects on her Commonwealth Games debut in Glasgow and taking the leap to Australia to develop her game. Two brilliant stories of ambition, resilience and hard work - with plenty more to come from these rising stars! The opinions and suggestions in this podcast are intended for entertainment only and should not be taken as professional advice. Listeners are responsible for their own decisions — we just provide the laughs.
Carla and Leanne look at the latest Netball World Cup qualifiers before sitting down with Greg Heinrich, Australian Kelpie and coach working with USA Netball. Greg explains his journey into netball, the growth of the sport across America, developing homegrown talent, the men's and women's programmes, and USA's ambitions for the 2027 World Cup. They also discuss what Olympic inclusion could mean for netball and why America could become a huge market for the sport. Plus, Carla tests Leanne's world-ranking knowledge - with mixed results! Thanks to our partner Akuma Sports - For top quality custom kit produced in the UK, visit: https://www.akumasports.com/sports/netball/ Please follow or subscribe so you don't miss out on any new content. Whether you’re a player, coach, or fan, you won’t want to miss an episode! The opinions and suggestions in this podcast are intended for entertainment only and should not be taken as professional advice. Listeners are responsible for their own decisions — we just provide the laughs.
Carla and Leanne dive into the world of netball pathways, from county and club netball through to NPL, Next Gen and NSL. They’re joined by Halee, who shares her experience of playing in London Pulse’s Next Gen programme, missing out on a new contract after ageing out and the challenges that come with trying to find your next opportunity. They also discuss the cost and accessibility of pathways, the value of National Prem and alternative routes to elite netball. Plus, there’s plenty of pathway chat before Carla gets to relive being a “netball mum”! Thanks to our partner Akuma Sports - For top quality custom kit produced in the UK, visit: https://www.akumasports.com/sports/netball/ Please follow or subscribe so you don't miss out on any new content. Whether you’re a player, coach, or fan, you won’t want to miss an episode! The opinions and suggestions in this podcast are intended for entertainment only and should not be taken as professional advice. Listeners are responsible for their own decisions — we just provide the laughs.
Jess Walton and Liam Killey join Carla and Leanne to talk about their very different routes to the highest levels of men’s and mixed netball. Jess shares how she went from social netball to representing England, while Liam explains his transition from basketball to the Australian Kelpies. They discuss pathways, training, playing in Australia and England, the growth of men’s and mixed netball, and what it was like sharing the court at Nationals. Plus, we get the full story of their relationship before putting them through a very competitive game of Mr & Mrs! Thanks to our partner Akuma Sports - For top quality custom kit produced in the UK, visit: https://www.akumasports.com/sports/netball/ Please follow or subscribe so you don't miss out on any new content. Whether you’re a player, coach, or fan, you won’t want to miss an episode! The opinions and suggestions in this podcast are intended for entertainment only and should not be taken as professional advice. Listeners are responsible for their own decisions — we just provide the laughs.
Carla and Leanne take a deep dive into the world of BUCS netball, with interviews from players, coaches and university sport professionals who reveal just how competitive, varied and important university netball has become. From elite players balancing degrees with high-performance programmes to social players simply looking for somewhere to belong, this episode explores pathways, recruitment, facilities, coaching and the future of university netball. One thing comes through loud and clear - BUCS can be seriously competitive, but apparently you can still have a laugh while doing it! Thanks to our partner Akuma Sports - For top quality custom kit produced in the UK, visit: https://www.akumasports.com/sports/netball/ Please follow or subscribe so you don't miss out on any new content. Whether you’re a player, coach, or fan, you won’t want to miss an episode! The opinions and suggestions in this podcast are intended for entertainment only and should not be taken as professional advice. Listeners are responsible for their own decisions — we just provide the laughs.