Netball
We’re extremely passionate about netball at Woodbridge School, not only focusing on developing each student’s skills and knowledge of the game, but also officiating and coaching.
Friendly or competitive and inclusive
We focus on every student as an individual, working towards getting the best out of them and ensuring they enjoy playing the game as well as learning skills. A number of students will not have played Netball before, and we cater for their needs just as well as those of our more experienced and/or elite players. The growing participation of students playing Netball at our local clubs demonstrates the sheer love and enjoyment of the sport.
Playing Netball at Woodbridge
On average, during the Netball term we field around 20 teams across the board (in each age group), which includes A to C or D teams. At senior level, we have a 1st and 2nd team who play competitive fixtures in the local league as well as friendly matches. Senior Social Netball groups sometimes have the opportunity to play friendly matches during the Michaelmas term.
Students are offered Netball in games lessons during the Lent term at Senior School, and also as a co-curricular activity throughout both the Michaelmas and Lent terms at the Senior School.
Fixtures and competitions
Every girl in Year 7 to 9 has the opportunity to play in a competitive fixture and teams are entered at every level from U12 to U19 (A, B and C teams where possible), into the local South Suffolk League. Friendly matches against other local schools are also played. This season (2022-2023) Woodbridge School has entered both the Sisters n Sport National Cup and the Independent Schools Netball Cup at U15 and U19 level.
Special events
During the netball season Woodbridge School competes in the South Suffolk Netball tournaments at U14, U16 and U19 level. We have also enjoyed senior netball tours, playing against teams from Bath and Brighton University and schools in the local areas. Our U15 and U16 girls are very much looking forward to their mini tour to Nottingham in February 2023, where they will also be able to watch some Netball Super League games.
Successes include
- U13A, U14A, U15A and U16A teams all won their respective South Suffolk Leagues (2021-2022 season)
- U12A team were unbeaten in 2021-22 season and both the U12A and B teams will compete against each other in the U13A league this season (2022-23) as they came 1st and 2nd in their respective tournaments throughout 2021-22 season
- Two teams (U14 and U16) went through to the County finals (2021) and both reached Regional finals (2022)
- U19 and U15 teams have enjoyed tough competition in both the Sisters n Sport and Independent Schools Netball Cups (2022-23 season)
- Two teams (U14 and U16) went through to the County finals in 2022; both have reached the regional finals which take place in Hertfordshire in January 2023
Notable achievements
A number of our girls in Years 7 to 11 have gone on further and have been selected as part of either the Suffolk Development, Satellite or County teams. Two girls are currently part of the U13 South Suffolk Satellite Academy Netball squad and two more girls are part of the U15 South Suffolk County Academy squad.
We also have two Year 11 students who has been part of the Saracens Mavericks Thetford Futures Academy for the past two years.
Meet the staff
Avril Gray
Head of Netball
First introduced to Netball at age 9, Avril has loved the game ever since; passionate and competitive about the sport to this day. With excellent coaching while at secondary school, Avril played a range of sports, but Netball and Hockey were always her favourites. Recognising her skill and talent for the sport, Avril’s sports teacher suggested she join and play for Ipswich Ladies Netball Club and some years later, she still plays and is also Chair of the club.
Selection for the East Region Centre of Excellence at the age of just 15 was a real turning point for Avril and a huge step in terms of increased training and standard of play; and it was this level of play that led to her playing her first national trial. Playing regionally and nationally from the age of 16 until she was 22, she was also selected as the Captain of the U21 England squad, playing in the International Youth Games in Fiji. As well as all this success at game level, Avril is a Level 2 Netball Coach, a C Award Umpire, Chair of ILNC where she has volunteered for over thirty years now, helping to support and develop the next generation of players.
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Netball Roundup – February 2025
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