Wales Netball Performance Pathway Regional Academy 2023/24

Introduction to the Regional Academy

Wales Netball aspires to create a sustainable over-supply of athletes via its Performance Pathway for its National Squads. Regional Academies are the first step on our Performance Pathway and are vital to ensuring success at all levels. Our Regional Academy model is skills and values focused, and as such Wales Netball supports the Regional Academy Coaches to continue to develop themselves, as well as guiding performance activity within Regional Academies, to ensure consistency. Regional Academy coaches focus on developing young athletes in line with the ‘Welsh Way’ focusing on a curriculum of skill development – allowing us to ensure that we are develop athletes who have the requisite skills and attributes to transition smoothly into our National Academy and Wales age group Squads.

Our Regional Academies performance mission/ objectives are as follows:

• To select and develop Regional Academy athletes capable of transitioning into our National Academy programme, and Wales age group Competition Squads.
• To retain athletes for the long term – we want athletes to continue to choose to develop their netball in Wales, to do this, we need to ensure our Regional Academies are excellent.
• To support each of our Regional Academy athletes to develop as both people and players, who embody Welsh Way skills, values, and behaviours.
• To ensure that our Regional Academy athletes enjoy the experience of Regional Academy netball. For many of our athletes, this will be their first experience of Wales Netball, and we want it to be a great environment for them.

Regional Academy Trials 2023/2024

Following the conclusion of the 2022/23 Regional Academy season. Wales Netball are pleased to announce that trials are now live for the upcoming 2023/24 Regional Academy season. Wales Netball have 8 Regional Academy partners across Wales:

• Bangor University
• Bridgend College
• Cardiff University
• Coleg Cambria
• Coleg Gwent
• Neath Port Talbot College
• USW & Coleg Y Cymoedd
• University of Wales Trinity St David*

*University of Wales Trinity St David is replacing Coleg Sir Gar as a new partner for 2023/24.

Athletes are welcome to apply to trial for Wales Netball’s Regional Academy 2023/2024 provided you are:

• Within the age parameters detailed in each age group.
  • U17 – Aged no younger than 16, or older than 21 on the 01st of January 2024.
  • U15 – Aged no younger than 13, or older than 15 on the 01st of January 2024.
• Residing in Wales.
• Meet Wales Netball’s eligibility criteria.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for selection into WN’s Performance Programme and WN’s Competition Squads, an Athlete must:

• Be eligible to play for Wales at the World Netball Championships (as determined by World Netball regulations applicable at the appropriate time).
• Born in Wales have at least one parent of Welsh nationality, or one grandparent of Welsh nationality, or have acquired Welsh nationality by marriage or naturalisation or have resided in Wales continuously for two years immediately prior to the date of entry into the Programme or the date of the international event she is being considered for as part of the Competition Squad (as applicable).

Please note that trial fees are £10. Trial fees are non-refundable.

Trial applications must be received by 12:00 pm on Friday 08th September.

Late entries will not be accepted.

Book onto the trials on Sport80 here – Find Events, Trips, Courses, Tournaments, Camps, Spectator Events | Sport:80 (sport80.com)

Region	Trial Date	U15 Session Time	U17 Session Time
Bangor University	17th & 24th September	09:00 – 10:30	10:30 – 12:00
Bridgend College	15th & 22nd September	17:00 – 18:15	18:15 – 19:30
Cardiff University	16th & 23rd September	09:00 – 10:30	10:30 – 12:00
Coleg Cambria	14th & 21st September	17:00 – 18:30	18:30 – 20:00
Coleg Gwent	12th & 19th September	16:30 – 18:00	18:00 – 19:30
Neath Port Talbot College	17th & 24th September	13:30 – 15:00	15:00 – 16:30
USW & Coleg Y Cymoedd	15th & 22nd September	17:00 – 18:30	18:30 – 20:00
University of Wales Trinity Saint David	16th & 23rd September	10:00 – 11:30	11:30 – 13:00