Nottingham Forest Netball head coach Chelsea Pitman says being backed by the Premier League football club makes the players “want to push the ceiling”.
Forest are one of eight teams competing in the revamped Netball Super League (NSL), which marks the start of a new chapter for domestic netball in the UK in the first campaign as the division moves towards professionalisation.
The Forest netball players spent time with the women’s football team at the training ground and can take advantage of the facilities and professional structures in place at the club.
“For the netball players to see how professional athletes go about their business is really important, especially knowing we’re not there as a sport, it’s really cool they want that to happen,” said Pitman on Sky Sports News.
“We’re a long, long way away from that, but for us to have the opportunity to tap into that, to see it and dream and aspire for them to want to push the ceiling to get there is a really amazing place to be at.”
Nottingham Forest fell to a 65-81 defeat against Manchester Thunder on Friday in the Netball Super League, handing their opponents their second successive victory.
Eight-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt was in attendance at Manchester’s Belle Vue Arena.
“We didn’t have a great start, and Thunder is a team you can’t afford to be on the back foot with,” Pitman added.
“They are so hard to beat, especially at home. If anyone has ever been to a game at Belle Vue Arena, it is so loud you can’t even hear yourself think.
“We got off on the wrong foot, but then we strung together some really nice patches of netball, and I said it in our first round, you can’t play inconsistently or for 30 minutes at this level.
“I’m proud of how they changed and adapted and how everyone else came on and did their job.
“It sucks losing but you learn so much from it. If we can tidy up the consistency and bridge the gap between what our best and our not-so-good looks like, we’re in and around the mark.”
Like Thunder, London Pulse also continued their winning streak, beating the Mavericks 78-42 to tally their third consecutive win.
“With how they’re playing, they look unstoppable,” said Pitman.
“But, we know sport, and if one player isn’t on then it can be anyone’s game.
“Pulse have connections that have been together for such a long time now, so it’s going to be tough. Funmi [Fadoju] is having a great season, and everyone seems to be working really well.
“It’s exciting for them but also I can’t wait to come up against them.”
Cookey: You wouldn’t bet against Pulse to reach grand final
London Pulse have won all three of their games in the Netball Super League this season
Former England Netball captain Pamela Cookey believes London Pulse have shown enough promise in the early stages of the season, which could see them reach the season-ending Grand Final at The O2 in London, live on Sky Sports.
Pulse have scored over 70 in every single game so far this season and have displayed brilliant defense throughout the season so far.
“You would be hard-pressed to bet against them,” said Cookey.
“They haven’t had easy games to start this league off. They’ve had to work, and they’ve still been able to deliver.
“The accuracy and that continued consistency after every centre pass is definitely setting them up now for what we will see later down the line.
“The season will come thick and fast, and you don’t want to be saying you’re still developing when you come to round 10 or 11.
“Pulse are doing that now, which means they can only get better.”
Watch the Netball Super League matches through the season live on Sky Sports.
