Satellite and County Academies

Oxfordshire Netball runs Satellite and County Academies that are targeted at players who have been identified as having the potential to play netball at a higher level. Our aim is to give players quality, individual coaching support, to help them reach their full potential, as per the England Netball Performance Pathway. Qualified and experienced Level 2 coaches deliver the training programmes, as set by England Netball.

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The Satellite Academy is the first step on the England Pathway, for young netballers aged approximately 11-13 years. Oxfordshire Netball manages and delivers approximately 15 sessions per year. The emphasis in the Satellite Academy is for young netballers to learn how to train on their own, and to experience and practise some of the different components required in a training programme. Oxfordshire Satellite Academy athletes are working towards the next level which is County Academy.

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The County Academy provides training for athletes aged approximately 14-15 years. Oxfordshire Netball manages and delivers approximately 30 sessions per year. Athletes in a County Academy should be accessing between 14-16 hours a week of training and competition, both in netball and other invasion sports. Strength and conditioning work is also important for this level and age group of athletes, to ensure that muscles are developed properly to prevent injury and to prepare them for a greater intensity of training, as they progress through their netball career. The programme aims to provide athletes with the support and skillset they need to progress to the next level of the Pathway, the Regional Academy, all of which are run by the Netball Superleague franchises.

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Both County and Satellite Programmes are run from Sept to May each year. Girls can be nominated by their club or school for selection. Trials are held In September once all the Franchises have held trials for the Regional Academy. 

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If a school or club wishes to have an athlete screened, at any other time during the year, they can do so by contacting the Lead Performance Coach, Maggie Fisher. ​

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Oxfordshire also runs an Under 12s Development programme. This is not part of the England Performance Pathway; however, it hopes to prepare athletes for Satellite trials the following year. We deliver 18 hours of coaching per year. ​Trials for the U12 Development programme are held each year between November and December, ready for the sessions to start in January and finish in May.

 

More information, including trial dates and locations, will be advertised each year on this website and communication will be sent out to schools and clubs (a few weeks before) to enable athletes to be nominated for the programmes.

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