Netball
Join our successful Netball Performance Programme
- Video: Performance Sport at The University of Edinburgh
- Discover the world-class Performance Sport Programmes at the University of Edinburgh.
One of the most highly regarded of its kind in the UK, the University of Edinburgh Performance Sport Programme enables athletes to achieve a world-class degree and perform to the best of their ability. The University of Edinburgh Netball Programme prides itself on developing players with potential and a positive attitude into performance athletes. In return for your dedication and hard work, we will offer you world-class training facilities and support to allow you to reach your full potential:
- 1 Full-time Head Coach
- 3 Assistant/Support Coaches
- Full-time Strength & Conditioning support
- Academic support
- Performance lifestyle support
- Nutritional advice
- Sports psychology Support
- Access to the world-renowned FASIC Sport & Exercise Medicine Clinic
- Performance analysis, team and individual
The netball performance programme offers me the opportunity to play high level netball combining with my academic studies. UoE has world class facilities, it’s prestigious performance sport program provides me the opportunity to be coached by renowned coaches in the sport and combines dedicated strength & conditioning, physiotherapy, 1:1 tactical, sports psychology and nutrition support. This has enabled me to develop my netball in a modern student athlete environment.
The 1st Netball team competes in the BUCS Scottish Tier 1A and were recently selected as Netball Scotland Senior Club of the Year.
- 2021-22 BUCS Scottish Tier 1A Winners
- 2021-22 Netball Scotland Senior Club of the Year
- 2020-21 BUCS Conference Cup Finalists
- 2019-20 BUCS Scottish Tier 1A Winners
- 2019-20 Scottish Cup Quarter Finalists (Competition disrupted by Covid-19)
- 2018-19 BUCS Scottish Tier 1A Winners
- 2018-19 BUCS National Trophy Quarter Finalists
- 2018-19 Scottish Cup Finalists
- 2017-18 BUCS Scottish Tier 1A Winners
- 2017-18 Scottish Cup Finalists
Alongside our BUCS and Scottish League successes, many of our players and alumni are involved in national programmes and play in international squads. This has included:
- 3 alumni in current Scottish Thistles Squad
- 6 current students in Netball Scotland national pathway programmes
- 1 current student in Northern Ireland U21 and Emerging squad
- 2018-19 4 players selected for SSS National Squad
- 2017-18 7 players selected for SSS National Squad
- 1 alumni involved in 2 commonwealth games appearances (2018, 2022)
- 1 alumni involved in World Cup Squad appearance 2019
- Alumni Claire Maxwell current Scottish Thistles Captain
- Alumni Emily Nicholl current Scottish Thistles Vice Captain
Edinburgh mixes architectural beauty and history with a lively, fun environment and has regularly been voted as one of the most desirable places to live in the world. As part of our Performance Programme, you will develop your athletic and academic skills in tandem, competing for one of the United Kingdom’s best sporting higher education institutions and studying at a university that is consistently ranked in the top 50 in the world:
- Over 650 degree programmes
- Flexible study
- Ranked 10th in the UK for graduate employability by the Times Higher Education, Global Employability Ranking 2018
We support elite athletes during the University application process by crediting athletic attainment.
Find out more about our Elite Athlete Policy:
Head of Performance Netball, Trish Wilcox
Trish is our newly appointed Head of Netball having been in the role since September 2022 and has been developing and growing the netball performance programme. Trish is a NNZ Level 3 qualified coach and has been coaching for over 25 years spending over 20 years coaching in NZ and learning her craft.
Some highlights of her international coaching career are:
- 2002 -2014 New Zealand- Appointed Auckland Netball’s first ever Development Officer (2002) Development Manager (2006) Northern Zone Community Netball Manager (2012)
- 2004 NNZ Coach Education Facilitator Award
- 2006-2011 Director of Netball Epsom Girls Grammar School Auckland NZ
- 2009 Head Coach Auckland NZ provincial U15s
- 2010 Apprentice coach programme NZ U21
- 2010 Head Coach U19 Regional Auckland/Waitakere NZ
- 2011 Head Coach U17 Regional Auckland /Waitakere NZ
- 2011-2013 Head Coach Samoa U21
- 2012 Head Coach U17 Auckland NZ
- 2012 Netball New Zealand Performance Coach Award Programme
- 2013-2014 Head Coach Cook Islands National Team
- 2014 short term contract for Pacific Netball Series
- 2014 Sport New Zealand Coach Advance Programme
- 2014- 2017 Head of Elite Performance at Wales Netball
- 2014-2018 Head coach Wales National team
- 2014-2018 Head Coach Celtic Dragons Franchise
- 2018-2022 Head of Netball Fettes College
- 2020-2022 Head coach Edinburgh Academicals
- 2021 2022 Head Coach Eagles
Assistant Coach, Hendrik Lessing
Hendrik started playing competitive netball at the age of 15 and went on to represent his province (county) in South Africa on a number of occasions, in both senior mixed and senior men’s teams. Hendrik has also recently been selected to play for the first Scottish Men’s representative side (Highland Fever). Where he captained and coached the side to a fantastic 3rd place at the UK Men's National Tournament in 2022.
Some highlights of his coaching career are:
- SASCA Level 2 Coach
- 2022 Assistant Coach Scottish Super Cup
- 2020 Scottish Men's National Squad Coach
- 2019- 20 KZN Action Netball U15 + Open Mixed + Ladies A Coach
- 2018-19 KZN Action Netball U19 Mixed + U19 Ladies Coach
- 2017-18 KZN Action Netball U17 Mixed + U19 Ladies Coach
- 2015-16 KZN Action Netball U18 Mixed Coach
- 2014-15 KZN Action Netball U16 Mixed Coach
Assistant Coach, Gemma Sole
Gemma Sole is a UKCC Level 2 Netball Coach and former Scottish Thistle. Her playing career took her all over the world, competing for Scotland in Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, Cook Islands, South Africa, Singapore and all over the UK. Gemma has been a part of the EUNC coaching team since 2018 working with 1st and 2nd teams. Having retired from international netball in 2016, Gemma continues to play at her club Edinburgh Accies Netball.
Some highlights of her career are:
- 2022-present - One of five coaches to be awarded a place on Netball Scotland's Elite Coach development programme
- Nominee for Scottish Club coach of the year in 2018-19 season
- 2018-present - Coach for Edinburgh University Netball
- Technical coach for Scotland U17 Squad
- Represented the Superleague franchise Team Northumbria in the 2015-16 season
- Played at the 2015 Netball World Cup in Sydney, Australia
- Represented Team Scotland in the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games
Practice facilities at Pleasance Sports Complex & Gym are extremely accessible with recent refurbishment made to the flooring. We also have access to our medical clinic at the University for the selected Performance Players within the Women’s Basketball Programme.
We offer a number of named scholarships available through the application process.
Eric Liddell High Performance Scholarships: Created in memory of one of the University’s sporting greats to help our most talented student athletes attain their sporting ambitions.
The University of Edinburgh Elite Athlete Scholarship Fund: Awarded to support talented student athletes with the purpose of enhancing their dual career (academic and sporting) ambitions and positioning the University as the UK’s foremost Higher Education Institution for performance sport.
The University of Edinburgh is also part of the Winning Students Network, which provides financial scholarships from the Scottish Funding Council to support student athletes.
Further information about sport specific scholarships
Further Information about University scholarships and funding
The University of Edinburgh is a UK Anti-Doping accredited institution. We are fully committed to clean sport principles and educating all of our athletes in applying these principles correctly. Please feel free to read through our full Clean Sport Policy.
Get In Touch
We are always looking for ambitious, academic athletes to realise their potential with us. Our aim is to train, develop and retain some of the finest netball talent in the country. We look forward to welcoming the next generation of netball players to our Performance Programme and hope to hear from you soon.