Severn Stars netball club are looking to make a big impression in their first debut season in the Vitality Netball Superleague.
We have very high aspirations for the future, evident in these key appointments.
AFEISHA NOEL
Goal Shooter
Afeisha’s cousin was the one who recommended netball and when her first netball coach saw Afeisha, her eyes lit up and played her as GS ever since. Without knowing the rules, Afeisha naturally picked it up by watching other players around her, which lead her to continue to play in the school leagues, before being picked for the national team in 2003. Whilst still at school Afeisha started playing for the Fire Service Netball Team of Trinidad and Tobago and her national team until last year when she chose to make an exciting move overseas to the Severn Stars.
ELEANOR CARDWELL
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Goal Attack | Goal Shooter
Eleanor didn’t even want to go to her first netball session, but fell in love with netball when her mum encouraged her to make up the numbers at her local netball team. She has 3 years of experience within the Netball Superleague at Manchester Thunder starting as a defender but moving to GS in her final 2 years. Eleanor is also an international player, having her first call up last year for Netball Europe 2016. Eleanor decided to move to Severn Stars for the opportunity to work on her attacking style under Mo’onia.
IONA DARROCH
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Centre | Goal Attack | Wing Attack
Iona developed quickly after taking up netball when she started secondary school. Her dedication to Netball took her Tameside where she became part of the North West Regional Academy at the age of 14. To gain more experience in WA and C positions Iona then moved to NPL Manchester Thunder. She has been playing for England netball since the age of 17 and has since taken part in tours such as the U19 netball tour and U21 Netball Europe 2017.
JODIE GIBSON
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Goal Defence | Wing Defence | Goal Keeper
Jodie started playing Netball in year 5 in primary school and was quickly snapped up by YWCA Bury Netball club when playing against another local school. From there Jodie moved to Oldham to start playing in the Premier 1 netball league. Jodie has tonnes of experience in the Superleague, going from Manchester Thunder to Loughborough Lightning whilst at University and then back to Manchester Thunder to win the Superleague title. She is also in the current England squad and has been on a number of tours with England Roses.
JOSIE JANZ-DAWSON
Goal Attack | Goal Defence
Josie first started playing netball in a junior mixed netball league on a Saturday in Derby, Western Australia. During 2006-2007 Josie went on to get a Netball Scholarship at the Australian Institute of Netball where she won the Commonwealth Bank Trophy with AIS Canberra Darters. In 2008-2016 she moved to the ANZ Championship WestCoast Fever where she played until 2016, whilst also playing at the Premier League South-East Metro Demons and captaining the Australian National League Western Sting in 2014.
LAURA MALCOLM
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Centre | Wing Attack | Wing Defence
Laura started out as a goalkeeper for her school team when she was 10 years old. The problem was that her team were so good, she never had chance to touch the ball! Flash forward to 2017 and Laura has moved to the Severn Stars after a 7-year spell at Manchester Thunder. During this time she has also represented England in a number of tours. Laura felt like it was time for a change and that a move to the Stars was an opportunity to be the start of something special – she cannot wait to get started!
LAUREN BROOKS
Centre | Wing Defence
Lauren has been playing netball from as young as 6 years old, back in primary school. At 11 she started playing for Hucclecote Netball Club before being selected for Team Bath’s talent squad at 13 and continued to develop with both clubs throughout University. At 19 Lauren suffered a serious back injury but she is looking to make her come back and break into the VNSL this year with the Severn Stars!
RACHEL SWEET
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Goal Defence | Goal Keeper
Rachel first got into netball when she joined a club with her twin sister. From there she played her way up to under 16s county level, whilst playing with her local club. When Rachel outgrew County level netball, she moved to the Worcester Reds in the Premier 1 league, where she has continued to play until joining the Severn Stars. Rachel joins the Severn Stars with a years’ experience in the Netball Superleague after making the move from a season at Loughborough Lightning.
REBECCA OATLEY
Goal Defence | Goal Keeper
Rebecca was put off by netball when her teacher told her that she would never be good enough to make the senior team! When Rebecca turned 16 she had a growth spurt and revisited her love for netball at Bath Ladies Netball club. Since then she has worked her way from the University team to Treharris in the Cardiff & District Division 2 and then Leckwith in Division one before getting a call up for to represent the Welsh National team at Netball Europe 2016. Rebecca is experienced in the VNSL as she comes from a season at Celtic Dragons.
SOPHIE CARTER
Centre | Wing Attack | Wing Defence
After enjoying netball at school, Sophie decided to take up netball at her local club. She continued to work her way up the leagues where she found herself playing at Hertfordshire Mavericks for the past three season. However, since moving to University in Bath Sophie has been looking for a club slightly closer. This brought her to the Severn Stars, as Sophie believes that she has found the perfect place at here with exciting coaching staff and the opportunities it presents.
REBECCA TILDESLEY
Goal Attack | Goal Shooter
Rebecca was inspired to take up netball by training when her mum used to take her to regular training and school sessions from as young as 9. Rebecca was advised by many coaches that she should be playing at regional level, which resulted in a move to Yendy’s and then onto Dudley Netball club to play Premier level netball. Whilst studying at the University of Worcester, Rebecca moved to Hucclecote netball team and became a training partner for Loughborough Lightning before joining the Stars.
YASMIN HODGE-ENGLAND
Goal Attack | Goal Shooter
Yasmin started netball at school at the age of 8 and at the age of 11 joined her local club Exeter. She went on to play Regional League netball at Exeter aged 14-18, whilst playing at team bath NTL. By the age of 17 Yasmin was Team South NPL captain and had trials with England Netball. This lead to a move to Premier Romans in the Premier League 2 before moving to Hucclecote NC in premier league 1 whilst at university.
COACHES AND STAFF
SAM BIRD
Assistant Coach
After an eleven year stint at Hertfordshire Mavericks, Sam Bird has joined Severn Stars as Assistant coach. Alongside her coaching role she is currently working with England Netball as a Nation selector, Technical coach and U17 Assistant coach. In addition to her netball commitments, Sam has maintained her career as a solicitor for the Metropolitan Police Service for 20 years.
After an impressive playing career, representing England across all ages, she has thrown herself into numerous coaching opportunities. Sam looks forward to beginning a new journey and is excited to see what she can create at Severn Stars.
Jo Baker, Team Manager has been involved in netball in Gloucestershire and the south-west as a player, coach and umpire for almost 25 years! She sits on the County committee as Performance Lead, ensuring the effective delivery of the EN Pathway for our elite young athletes.
Jo is Head of Finance & HR at an architects’ practice in Gloucester which keeps her busy during the week. Now her playing days are over, she’s delighted to be involved in this new and exciting franchise and is relishing the opportunity and challenges ahead.
MO’ONIA GERRARD
Head Coach
A versatile defender, Mo’onia Gerrard’s talents were identified at an early age. She was named the Commonwealth Bank Trophy’s Best New Talent in 1999 and judged the Player’s Player in 2003.
Making her international debut in 2004, Gerrard quickly established herself a key part of the Australian defensive end.
Following injury, she returned to be part of Australia’s triumphant 2007 and 2011 Netball World Cup-winning teams, playing primarily as wing defence in the latter.
Gerrard, who is of Tongan descent, won the inaugural Liz Ellis Diamond in 2008 and led the Adelaide Thunderbirds to the 2010 ANZ Championship title alongside Natalie von Bertouch before finishing her career at the NSW Swifts in 2013.
“My philosophy is to create a fearless, strong, skilful team who enjoy playing the game”
While playing netball for the NSW Swifts Mo’onia went through the process of gaining her coaching accreditation and having an impact in helping young players develop at all levels.
Gerrard is passing on her knowledge gained over 182 national league matches and 68 Tests for Australia to the next generation of emerging talent.
She’s coached at State League level in her home state of New South Wales and has engaged in specialist work in the past two years with Australia’s 19/U and 21/U squads as well as with the NSW Swifts in the ANZ Championship and also internationally – most notably in Tonga.
PAMELA COOKEY
Director
Pamela Cookey has been coined the face of England Netball after 11 years playing for her side and 3 years captaining.
Cookey gained legendary status for tenacity and determination despite some serious injuries. A high point of her international career saw her reach the 100 cap landmark in May 2015 when she was honored on court to a standing ovation following a win over Trinidad and Tobago at the Copper Box Arena.
In October2015, England’s star shooter announced her retirement from International sport after setting netball alight around the globe with massive achievements:
Away from the court, Pamela Cookey has balanced her career as a business graduate with Airbus UK, and more recently as Business Manager for Westport County Sport Partnership. Now she joins to lead the team here at Severn Stars, combining her love for Business Management and Netball.
