At Vandyke we are always proud to report on our students’ sporting success outside of school too.  Here Year 12 student, Melissa Zawe, tells us about her experience playing netball for Saracens Mavericks.

“I play with Saracens Mavericks in the NPL league, we play against all the other franchises and at the end of the season around April we play one big tournament to determine our places in the table, last season we placed 6th – winning all four of our matches.

I train twice a week and as a defender I was lucky enough to be trained by a Super League player Jodie Gibson, she supported us and coached us for a entire season. Moreover, through playing with Mavericks in the NPL I was selected to trial for the U15 England netball squad, although I didn’t make the final selection, I was able to experience what it was like to play against higher level athletes.

This season we aren’t doing the best! Mavericks also support us academically. As athletes we are given the option to study a diploma in sporting excellence, which is designed to support the needs of student athletes who exhibit the potential to achieve excellence in their sport, which I am currently studying now. Within this we are also exposed to England netball resources including their nutritional staff and training coaches.”

Melissa Zawe, Year 12 student