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England Netball have appointed Patrick O’Grady as the new Head of Player Pathway, responsible for overseeing the design, implementation and continued improvement of the Player Pathway for England Netball.
O’Grady will provide strategic direction, operational leadership and expert support to ensure that the Player Pathway, which comprises of Pathway Clubs’ Academies and County Netball Associations’ Player Development Programmes, continues to deliver an unending pipeline of world class athletes ready for competition with Netball Super League (NSL) Clubs and, ultimately, the Vitality Roses.
After time spent overseeing regional rugby academies on behalf of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and as Academy Manager at London Irish Rugby Club, O’Grady, who will begin his role at the end of July, brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience of talent development.
Reflecting on his appointment, O’Grady said: “I’m incredibly excited to join England Netball as Head of Player Pathway. I have a deep passion for athlete development and this role presents an opportunity to build on the strengths of the existing pathway and work collaboratively to shape a system that supports athletes at every stage of their journey, from grassroots to the Vitality Roses. I’m proud to be part of a programme that is so integral to the future success of England Netball.”
England Netball Performance Director David Parsons added: “I am delighted to welcome Patrick to the performance team at England Netball. He was the stand-out candidate in a strong field, who impressed the recruitment panel with his experience in leading player pathway programmes, his knowledge of talent development and his recognition of the importance of engaging with the network of coaches and pathway leaders if we are to make the progress that we aspire to across the game.
I am confident that Patrick will provide the leadership and guidance needed, and work with our colleagues in Pathway Clubs and County Netball Associations to ensure the most talented young athletes across the country have brilliant experiences in netball and receive outstanding support on their journeys to fulfil their potential.”
O’Grady’s appointment comes at a time when netball continues to grow at pace. The membership of England Netball is at an all-time high with over 122,000 members, 3 million people play netball in England annually and it remains the most popular team sport played by women both weekly and fortnightly. A highly successful 2024-25 international season for the Vitality Roses saw England win the Taini Jamison Trophy against New Zealand for only the second time ever and win the Vitality Netball Nations Cup for the first time, whilst also defeating Australia in Australia for only the third time in history. The relaunch of the elite domestic league, the NSL, followed shortly afterwards, resulting in a year of unprecedented growth for the game at all levels.
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