A University of Winchester student has a good shot at becoming professional netball player after earning a place on a top team’s development programme.
Charlotte Sadler, who is nearing the end of her degree in Physical Education and Sport, has been accepted on the Team Bath Performance Pathway.
Bath were a founding member of the Netball Super League and the netball programme based at the University of Bath has produced a string of top players.
Charlotte has already played a season with Bath’s RI Community and U21 PDP (Player Development Programme) teams after switching from her old regional league side Devizes.
The 22-year-old from Salisbury has been playing the sport since primary school but started to take the game seriously when a growth spurt in her teens saw her shoot up to 6ft 2ins tall (1.88m).
Charlotte plays Goal Keeper (GK) or Goal Defence (GD) where her height is a great advantage.
In netball only two positions can score - Goal Shooter (GS) and Goal Attack (GA) but Charlotte relishes her role in defence.
“I’m not expected to touch the ball much – every time I do it’s because I have forced an error or made an interception,” she said.
It’s an exciting time for netball which has become far more high profile in recent years and the game’s governing bodies are hoping it will be included in the 2032 Olympics.
Sky now televises Super League matches and NXT Gen League games are livestreamed by EnglandNetball.TV.
Following a restructure, five-times champions Bath were not included in the new-look, professional Super League 2.0 as their arena did not meet the new standards. The senior team currently competes in the second tier, National Premier Division 1, but is hoping to upgrade its facilities.
However, Bath were selected to participate in the NXT Gen league for Under-23s which features teams from the Super League clubs.
Charlotte, who is currently recovering from surgery after tearing the tendons in her right ankle, hopes to play for the NXT Gen team which could give her a route to the top level of the game.
“I’d love to get to the Super League and get paid for playing,” said Charlotte. “Some women play all year round. When the season’s over here they go to play in Australia.”
Off the court Charlotte will be pursuing a Master’s Degree in International Education and Globalisation at the University of Bath.
Charlotte said she will miss Winchester. “I have loved it here and had this opportunity not come up I’d have done my Master’s at Winchester. The staff have been really supportive.”
Her personal tutor, Dr Caroline Stockman, Senior Fellow in Learning & Teaching, said: “It is just wonderful to see students thrive. Charlotte has taken confident steps towards her goals and I couldn't be happier for her."
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