The Blue and Gold, coached by Leanne Lewis and Emma Isaac, showed tremendous determination and character during two tight games, coming from behind to beat West Country rivals Severn Stars 43-40 before edging out Loughborough Lightning 54-51.

Supporters will be able to see the talented squad in action at the Team Bath Arena when they take on Surrey Storm on February 24, Manchester Thunder before the Superleague meeting between the clubs on March 9, and Wasps on March 31. Admission is free.

Captain Hannah Barnes, who has already represented Team Bath at U21 level, features in the U19 squad for a second successive season as do Maddie Durham, Millie Pearce, George Jenkins, Caitlyn Oates and Lauren Wood.

Emily Becconsall, Meg Connebeare, Rachael Fee, Maya Meredith, vice-captain Annie O’Rourke and Emma Payne make the step up from the U17 squad, while Emily Porter, Jade Peckham, Immy Stringer and training partner Charlie Plumridge will all represent the Blue & Gold for the first time. Vicky Carnall is team manager.

All of the players are part of the Team Bath Netball Futures pathway and train each week at one of the five regional Academies and Hubs that have been established across the South West.

Head Coach Lewis, who will be assisted by Isaac, said: “We are very excited for the season ahead and are aiming to finish in the top end of the table.

“We have a very promising squad, a mixture of experience and youth which is great for the future, and we have huge faith in our girls who have been training hard over the last few weeks.

“Emma and I are going to be challenged on and off the court each week, which is a great opportunity to be given as coaches. It is a real honour to be part of such a fantastic franchise – we will all wear our Blue and Gold with pride and hope we do it justice this season.”

Team Bath U21s (Photo: Matchtight)

Team Bath have also named a squad packed with promise and potential for the U21 NPL competition, which they will start against Surrey Storm at the Team Bath Arena on Saturday, February 24 at 1pm – after the franchises meet in the U19 NPL.

Superleague stars Imogen Allison, Sophie Drakeford-Lewis, Tash Pavelin, Paige Reed and Abi Robson are all in the U21 squad along with training partner Chartie Curtis, who will captain the Blue & Gold in the NPL.

Christina Shaw, Imogen Spark, Kirsty Harris and Liberty Burnett continue in the U21 squad for a second season, while Anya LeMonnier, Annabel Staley, Elisha New and Hannah Passmore make the step up from the U19s.

Vice-captain Hannah Blackman, Amy Omakobia, Maisie Sharp and training partner Emmie Blamey are also in a squad coached by Denise Ellis and Nikki Lloyd, with Tracey Phillips as team manager.

Ellis said: “The U21 coaching team have been working with this group of players for the last few months and are pleased with the commitment and development they have made. It is a strong group and we are looking forward to delivering good performances over the season.”

The NPL features the eight English Superleague franchises plus two invited teams in U19 competition, London Pulse and Yorkshire, and provides an opportunity for potential Superleague stars to gain national competition experience.

Report courtesy of the Team Bath Press Office at Matchtight

Seven of the squad – selected from across the South West region and all aged between 14 and 19 – wore the Blue and Gold in the national development competition during 2016, finishing fifth overall.

The returning players include Ella Powell-Davies and Abi Robson, both of whom have represented England at age-group level, plus Shona O’Dwyer. That highly-rated trio have also been selected as training partners for the Team Bath Netball Superleague squad.

Holly Passmore, Sam Sullivan, Kirsty Harris and Annabel Staley have also retained their places in the NPL set-up, while Elisha New, Anna Lebe, Caitlyn Oates, Lauren Wood, Hannah Passmore and Millie Pearce have all been selected after impressing during a rigorous set of trials at the University of Bath.

Denise Ellis, who has been named as joint head coach of the NPL team along with Natalie Peperell, said: “It was always our plan to retain a consistent number of last year’s squad and we are pleased to welcome some exciting new members to the group.”

Jess Thirbly, Director of Netball for Team Bath, added: “We had a robust selection process and I am extremely impressed with the strength of both the playing squad and the coaching team we have put together. It is a talented group and we’re excited to see how they progress this season.”

The NPL, organised by England Netball, is designed to provide a pathway between junior and Superleague competition for talented young players. Notable players to come through the system for Team Bath include England defender and MJ Church ambassador Sam Cook, Jazz Scott and Paige Reed, who has been named in the 2017 Superleague squad after excelling in the NPL last season.

The league has been restructured for 2017, with Team Bath – whose assistant coach will be Nikki Lloyd – initially facing Hertfordshire Mavericks, Severn Stars, London Pulse and Surrey Storm in the South section of the competition.

Contesting the North section are Loughborough Lightning, Manchester Thunder, Team Northumbria, Wasps Netball and Yorkshire Humberside.

The top-ranked teams in each section will progress directly to the national semi-finals, while those placed second and third will play off for their place in the last four. Team Bath’s opening fixture is at Mavericks on Saturday (January 21) and the final is scheduled for April 1.

Team Bath Netball are sponsored by Sitec, Mogers Drewett are their Education Partners, Centurion Wealth Management are supporting the team’s performance analysis capabilities, Surridge are the kit supplier and Skins provide the team with compression wear.

Team Bath Netball 2017 U19 National Performance League squad (including county and club): Anna Lebe (Somerset, Team Bath NC), Kirsty Harris (Wiltshire, Team Bath NC), Elisha New (Gloucester, Hucclecote NC), Caitlyn Oates (Cornwall, Storm NC), Shona O’Dwyer (Wiltshire, Hucclecote NC), Hannah Passmore (Somerset, Team Bath NC), Holly Passmore (Somerset, Team Bath NC), Millie Pearce (Wiltshire, Team Bath NC), Ella Powell-Davies (Gloucester, Hucclecote NC), Abi Robson (Dorset, Team Bath NC), Annabel Staley (Gloucester, Team Bath NC), Sam Sullivan (Wiltshire, Team Bath NC), Lauren Wood (East Devon, Exeter NC). Training partners: Morganne Dunn (Somerset, Bridgwater NC), Anya le Monnier (Jersey, Team Bath NC), Maya Meredith (Dorset, Blades NC).

Lead photo shows the Team Bath Netball U19 NPL squad for 2017.

Report courtesy of the Team Bath Press Office at Matchtight Ltd.