NETBALL
PERFORMANCE PROGRAMME
Fitness for Life.
Picture this: You’re 85 years old, hiking up a windswept hill with a mischievous grin, whilst your grandkids struggle to keep up. Sounds impossible? Not if you embrace sport, fitness, and health as a lifelong adventure, something we love doing here at LWC.
Exercise isn’t just about chiselled abs or running marathons. It’s about resilience, mental sharpness, and longevity. Just look at the Blue Zones - those rare places on Earth where people routinely live past 100, and live well. Their secret? Daily movement, strong communities and an unshakeable zest for life. They don’t grind out deadlifts in fluorescent-lit gyms. Tthey walk, swim, stretch, and lift things because life demands it.
At LWC, we champion this philosophy. Sport isn’t a phase. It’s a lifelong pursuit of challenge, camaraderie, and self-discovery. Whether you’re smashing a rugby tackle, perfecting a tennis serve, or finding peace in a morning run, you’re investing in a future where your body serves you well, not the other way around.
So, take the stairs, chase a ball, climb a mountain, bowl away swingers, try Yoga. Because when sport and fitness become your adventure, life doesn’t just last longer. It gets richer, wilder, and infinitely more fun. So tighten those laces, take a breath and step up and out into a world of infinite possibilities, a world that begins within our idyllic 1200 acre campus and culture.
ADAM WILLIAMS HEADMASTER
to the Team.
LWC Performance Netball Programme
Congratulations on your selection as part of The LWC Performance Netball Programme.
This programme recognises your achievements and potential as a netball player. As netball continues to thrive at LWC, you are joining at an exciting time for the sport within the school, acting as a role model for other students and leading the way for netball at LWC.
This two-year programme outlines your pathway toward netball excellence while balancing academic commitments. In summary, it aims to:
• Develop you as a player technically, physically, and mentally.
• Foster a lifelong passion for netball.
• Prepare you for competitive netball and explore potential opportunities in and around the sport.
The programme requires you to:
• Commit fully to all sports scholarship expectations at LWC.
• Attend all scholarship talks and workshops.
• Represent LWC in other sports alongside netball.
• Participate in the coaching and mentoring of younger pupils in netball.
• Actively engage with your netball mentor and coach.
• Commit to netball tours and matches.
• Help raise the profile of netball at LWC and beyond.
Programme Overview
This two-year programme is designed to develop netball talent while ensuring balance with academic responsibilities. It focuses on technical development, physical conditioning, mental toughness, tactical awareness, and match preparation.
The programme is structured to align with the school timetable while preparing you for local, regional, and national competitions, including opportunities in age-group national competitions.
Key Areas of Focus
1. Technical Skills
Refine core skills: passing, receiving, shooting, footwork, and defending. Develop advanced skills such as shooting under pressure, goal shooting strategies, and attacking play. Conduct regular assessments to track consistency and identify areas for improvement.
2. Physical Fitness
Build strength, agility, flexibility, and endurance specific to netball through training and our S&C program. Emphasise injury prevention and recovery, including strength training and mobility exercises.
3. Mental Skills
Enhance focus, confidence, and resilience under pressure. Use sports psychology techniques such as visualization, composure drills, and emotional control.
4. Tactical Skills
Improve game awareness, decisionmaking, and positioning. Analyse match footage to refine team and individual strategies.
5. Match Preparation
Commit to a structured competition calendar alongside club and county matches where appropriate. Simulate match conditions during practice sessions, including attacking and defending drills.
6. Academic Balance
Balance netball training with school commitments, maintaining expected grades in all subjects. Develop time management strategies with your netball mentor to ensure you have a holistic approach to your studies and sport balance.
7. Leadership
Support and coach younger pupils in netball (Years 7-10), acting as a role model.
Represent LWC netball at ambassadorial events and outreach initiatives, such as working with St Neots for coaching workshops and supporting at junior and inter tournaments at LWC.
8. Career Opportunities
Explore career paths in netball, including coaching, umpiring, or playing professionally, with support from LWC connections and partnerships.
Components of the Programme
1. Technical Training
• Skill & Drills
Focus on accuracy and consistency in passing, receiving, and shooting.
• Position-Specific Training
Develop positional skills for shooters, defenders, and mid-court players
• Game Simulations
Practice under live conditions to replicate match intensity.
• Video Analysis
Regularly review match footage to fine-tune performance using VEO.
2. Physical Conditioning
• Strength Training
2-3 sessions per week, focusing on power, speed, and stability.
• Speed and Agility
Include sprint drills, ladder exercises, and quick change-of-direction training, emphasising lateral movement.
• Flexibility and Mobility
Daily dynamic stretches to enhance range of motion, which could be in the form of a yoga or Pilates session.
• Endurance Training
Interval running, agility drills, and cardiovascular drills to build match fitness.
3. Mental Skills Development
• Performance Psychology
Set short-term and long-term goals with your netball mentor. Practice pre-match routines, including visualisation and breathing
techniques to help manage nerves and stress.
• Logbook
Track reflections on practice, mental state, and game decisions where necessary.
4. Tactical Awareness and Preparation
• Game Strategy
Study opposition tactics, set plays, and attacking/defensive patterns. Watch netball online and on TV to see how the professional game is played and bring ideas to the table.
• Match Simulation
Practice under pressure with game-specific scenarios to sharpen decision-making.
• Post-Match Review
Assess performance with feedback on strengths and areas for growth, fostering a culture of continual learning and improvement.
5. Academic Integration
• Prioritise key training sessions around academic commitments.
• Use planners to manage practice, fitness, and study sessions to ensure you are using your time effectively.
• Incorporate rest days to maintain focus and avoid burnout.
Seasonal Plan
Cup Season (September - December)
• Hampshire County Tournament.
• SnS Competition.
• Other Cup & League games.
School Season (January to April)
• Weekly matches (Wednesday/ Saturday).
• Friendly games and continuation of Cup Season.
Pre-Season (April - July)
• Court training to prepare for September
• S&C training in the gym to build a solid foundation of fitness and strength for the season.
Evaluation and Tracking
• Match Performance Metrics: Record goals scored, assists, interceptions, and turnovers through statistics.
• Feedback: Regular meetings with the Head of Netball to receive feedback and have a two-way dialogue.
Example Weekly Schedule
Monday Aspire training for performance players 1 hour
Tuesday Strength training 1 hour
Wednesday Matches or On Court Training (match play) 1 hour
Thursday On Court practice (team focus) 2 hours
Friday Light training or recovery day 1 hour
Saturday Match 2 hours
Sunday Light training or recovery day 1 hours
This structured programme provides a comprehensive pathway for netball development while maintaining balance with academic and personal commitments.
Highlights
• Regular representation at County Schools across all three age groups..
• U13, U15 & U19 entry into the Sisters in Sport Competitions, often making the finals.
• A number of players are selected each year into the County Academy and Franchise Academy Development Centres.
• We have over 20 netball teams and offer opportunities for all with the Performance Players playing in the top teams.
By incorporating LWC Netball’s strong emphasis on development, player leadership, and the importance of a holistic approach to player growth, this programme ensures you are prepared not only for high-level competition but also for life beyond the court.