Kian Gadsby
In the summer of 2024, the University of Nottingham’s Netball team were at a crossroads.
The previous year had been their worst BUCS season ever. Their league campaign left them staring into the abyss of relegation for the first time in recent history after they finished rock bottom of the Premier North 1 table, while a tame defeat to Exeter saw their quest for a National Championship title end before it had even begun.
A solitary victory over city rivals Trent was the only highlight of the season, but any joy brought by that result was quickly forgotten as a 48-43 Varsity defeat extended their winless streak in that fixture to seven years.
Winning trophies and competing with the best in the country was a distant dream.
Fast forward 18 months to the present and the difference is stark. The Green and Gold recovered superbly from the setback by completing a perfect season in the 2024/25 campaign, winning every game on their way to a Premier North 2 and National Trophy double, while also finally getting their hands on that Varsity title by reversing the scores from the previous year.
This scintillating form has continued into the current season. They have adapted exceptionally on their return to the top flight and sit second in the league, only behind leaders and perennial champions Loughborough.
Heavy defeats in this league have turned into crushing victories, including usurping traditional giants Leeds and Birmingham. Nottingham even handed Loughborough their first league defeat since 2021 with a 43-36 win, a result which leaves them with a chance at winning the league with two matches remaining.
Netball’s rise to the top of the university game over the past two years has been nothing short of spectacular, so we caught up with Social Secretary and 1’s Goal Attack and Vice-Captain Regan Peters to find out exactly how the team has made such progress.
Comebacks like this take hours of dedication to come together. It is very quickly apparent when entering the training gym at David Ross Sports Village just how committed the team are to achieving their aspirations, with everyone fully focused on training and not entertaining any distractions.
This began before the 2024/25 academic year started and comes right from the top of the club. Even before she arrived at Nottingham, Regan had messages from head coach Paige Reed, who is also an England Roses international, explaining what was wanted from her team.
Once the team assembled to begin preseason preparations, the goal was clear. Paige wanted her team back in Premier 1.
That was easier said than done. With a lot of players graduating and leaving the team, the turnover could have seen the club struggle to establish a rhythm and climb the table. However, Regan explained that she felt the changes helped to give the team a ‘fresh slate’, which was desperately needed after such a frustrating season as it allowed them to set aspirations and bring everybody onboard.
“I think it was like a fresh slate for us all with having a relatively different team and with really strong players giving us more depth than had before. From the start I was really impressed with the professionalism of the club and the amount of training we were doing, it replicated a franchise environment that a lot of us were in as well.
“I wouldn’t say a lot has happened other than us all agreeing to the same goal and outcome that we want and putting 100% towards it, keeping each other accountable and committing to the desired outcome that we wanted. So far in training we’ve really been pushing each other and building on the foundations of the connections which we started to build last year.”
They are now reaping the rewards from their hard work, as despite combatting injury frustrations, the Green and Gold have comfortably conquered the gap to compete at the top level.
While standout results send a statement to the rest of the competition, it is the convincing nature of the performances that has made Nottingham particularly impressive. They have been solid defensively, conceding the fewest goals in the league, while also matching the attacking output of the division’s strongest sides.
To say that they have been good this year would be an understatement. Regan agrees, saying, “I think we have performed great. For our first year back in Prem 1 to be chasing that top spot is really impressive and it is really down to all the hard work everyone has put in to get there.”
“I think we are at a really good point that we trust every combination to get a job done and contest with the top opponents in Prem 1 which I think has shown from beating previous reigning champions Loughborough who haven’t lost a game in years.”
“Now that we are almost done with our season, I think we can say that we have definitely taken the step up we needed and are really happy with the outcome.”
Remarkably, the recent successes for Netball have not been limited to the 1’s.
Just like twelve months ago it is a Green and Gold side who occupy the top spot in the Premier 2 North standings, only rather than the 1’s, it is the 2’s who now sit on that perch.
All six of the BUCS teams are in contention for promotion from their respective divisions approaching the business end of the season, and there have even been match days where Nottingham have flexed their depth with all six of their BUCS teams earning victories.
The tenacity, drive and dedication that is prevalent in the 1’s has come to define the club, impacting every team and leaving all players striving to be the best they can. Regan has seen firsthand the infectious nature of this team spirit and feels like the vibe and the impressive training structure has led to the collective success.
“The whole club has such a great community, and the success is a result of that. I think that the training structure for the club is great, aside from performance teams who get S&C (strength and conditioning) all teams are getting the same training with great coaches, and we all have the same aim as a club to win and be the best and I think that all the girls really step up to that.”
Given the progress that has already been made, it would be easy for Netball to celebrate now and take their foot off the gas rather than maintain their ambition. However, as trophies are the target, this team remain as driven as ever to get over their final hurdle and secure silverware.
After finally getting their hands on the Varsity trophy last year, Regan wants to go back-to-back and claim bragging rights by defeating their neighbours when they travel across the city to play that clash in March. “To secure Varsity again would be great. It’s always such a fun event and has a great turn out every year, so to retain our crown would be ideal.”
However, from the position they are currently in, Nottingham have every chance to secure more than just one trophy. They have an outside chance to win the league title if Birmingham upset Loughborough and the Green and Gold win both their final matches with a sufficient margin of victory, while they are expected to be one of the contenders to return to BUCS Big Wednesday when the National Championship tournament gets underway later in the year.
Mentioning it to Regan made her react with both excitement and surprise. Loughborough have won the last three National Championship titles, so the prospect of any Nottingham title would be an historic accolade. This may be their final goal, but the true scale of their rise meant she was unable to fathom how good it would feel just yet.
“The ultimate goal is to put our name on that cup instead of Loughborough, so to win the league and BUCS finals would be honestly out of this world. I can’t even imagine how I would feel in that moment because it would be so insane and a historical moment for not only Notts and the Netball club but also for BUCS Netball in general.”
The Green and Gold look to make those dreams come true in the second half of the year, which kicks off when they round out the league with those clashes against the Yorkshire-based outfits, at home to University of Leeds on 21st and 28th January respectively.
If results from recent times are anything to go by, then Nottingham are poised to usurp their rivals and complete one of the best turnarounds in BUCS history by defying the odds to claim silverware.
Kian Gadsby
Featured image courtesy of Morgan Harlow from BUCS Sport via Flickr. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 1 courtesy of UoN Netball via Instagram. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 2 courtesy of Morgan Harlow from BUCS Sport via Flickr. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 3 courtesy of UoN Netball via Instagram. No changes were made to this image.
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