Coaching is bringing net gains for Thorp
NETBALL is on the rise at Thorp Academy – with the help of two coaches keen to develop the next generation on court.
Two PE teachers at the Ryton secondary school and sixth form, Fern Coulson and Danielle Smith, have played since childhood and reached high levels.
Now they are looking to promote the sport within Thorp - and have already spotted bags of potential.
Year 11 students Georgia Kendall, 16, and Ellie Gardner, 15, are two of the brightest prospects - having progressed from Ryton to the Tyne and Wear district squad.
The hope is Thorp’s Elite Performer Programme can help more follow their lead and there is an aim to produce players to compete at national level.
Smith had 12 months in the Team Northumbria Super League squad, was part of the England pool of players from the age of 12 to 9 and was British Colleges’ captain for two years.
She is currently sidelined through injury but plays in the Premiership with Hartlepool’s Oaksway.
Smith said: “At the moment I am working with the year eights at Thorp, helping out wherever I can.
“It is nice to see the raw talent here and the progress being made.
“They have to show me what they can do and it will test me as a coach to see how we can bring them on.
“There are great children here and a number of them are more than capable of being on the EPP if they can work hard.”
Coulson has coached for five years at Thorp, where she started her own Ryton Junior Netball Club.
She is also playing regional standard for Greencroft and represented Durham as a centre.
The 2017 coach of the year, awarded for all of her efforts, said: “Ellie Gardner and Georgia Kendall have played with me from year seven.
“I took them to my club to gain extra training and now they are at county standard.
“In the future I want to have more students go through to county level and then on to the England pathway.
“We have not had one before for netball from Thorp.
“This year I have had a lot of transition from year six to year seven and hopefully next year will be the year that happens.
“That would be fantastic. I am proud of what I have done so far but I want that to continue.”