Gilbert Netball Franchises Information - June 2011

Mavericks is a Netball Superleague franchise based in the East Region but its players come from a variety of areas including London.  The squad was established in 2005 when the Netball SuperLeague competition began.

This season Mavericks are very proud to be sponsored by the University of Hertfordshire.  The Mavericks squad includes long standing Mavericks international stars such as Karen Atkinson, Louisa Brownfield and Naida Hutchinson.  Karen Atkinson who has more than 100 caps for England, is also Assistant Player-coach.

Maggie Jackson remains as Head Coach and there are also a host of young England Excel players throughout both the senior and NTL squads.

Storm, who are coached by ex England Coach Mary Beardwood, finished the end of their first season top of the Superleague.  Surrey Storm are captained by England attacker Tamsin Greenway, Tamsin won Commonwealth Bronze alongside fellow Storm players Rachel Dunn, and former teammates Geva Mentor and Sonia Mkoloma at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

Storm's squad consists of two England international players, Rachel Dunn and Tamsin Greenway.  The 2010/2011 season will be the first season where Surrey Storm will play all of their 8 home games from their new home, the multi-million pound sport facility: Surrey Sports Park.

Based in Cardiff at the Welsh Institute of Sport, and supported by the Sports Council of Wales, the squad is marshalled by former Fiji National coach Melissa Hyndman, who is Welsh Netball's Performance Director and very determined to get a top five finish in the 2011 Superleague.

Any player with serious ambitions to represent Wales as an international will have to play for the Dragons who gave a number of the more established top-flight teams a fright last season where they finished in 6th place.

Welsh Netball is keen to move the game forward by bringing on its young players.  Dragons’ players are spreading the word delivering coaching sessions across the country.

Glasgow Wildcats are on a mission to make Scotland’s netballers a force to be reckoned, with the 2014 Commonwealth games their immediate goal.  The plan is move up in the World rankings by developing a squad of elite players that will compete in the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Denise Holland, coach of both the Fiat Netball Superleague side and the Scotland squad was delighted to guide her side to a 7th place finish last year.  The Wildcats played their second season in the top-flight in 2009/10.

The Glasgow Wildcats Brand and Team association is funded by Glasgow City Council (GCC) and managed by Glasgow Life.  Netball is a priority sport for the city and it is a core sport for the Commonwealth Games.  Wildcats are the netball evangelists in Scotland where they intend winning over would-be players, new spectators and hard-core fans over to the action within the third lines.

Leeds Carnegie are coached by former England international Anna Newell.  In her first year in charge last season Anna guided Leeds Carnegie to the playoff places in the Netball Superleague finishing fourth.

Leeds Carnegie are partnered by Leeds Metropolitan University.

Northern Thunder are the FIAT Netball Superleague Franchise for the North West.  Thunder have made a number of key signings this year in the off season including England players Jade Clarke and Sara Bayman.

Northern Thunder are partnered by Netball UK and are also sponsored by The Army.  They play their home matches in Greater Manchester.