Meet Natalie Panagarry

Chatting with Elite Netball Ambassador Natalie Panagarry

Our new ambassador will be a familiar face to fans of the game, we’re delighted to welcome International netballer and Superleague player Natalie Panagarry to the ENA team. A regular in the Superleague, Nat’s passion and energy for netball will mean her coaching sessions with Elite Netball Academy are sure to be full of fun with lots of innovative ideas for our athletes to put into practice. Nat will be a regular face at camps and workshops and we can’t wait for all of you to meet her. We caught up with Nat recently to find out a little bit more about her:

What’s your earliest netball memory?

Probably when I was 9 or 10, getting driven after school to my local netball club, Darwen Netball Club, on a Monday evening. I remember being so excited and nervous. I loved the club and it’s safe to say I owe so much to them for their belief and commitment to me when I was younger. I’m still in touch with the club today.

Who inspired you to chase your netball dream?

My parents and my first netball coach Suzanne Gosling. They were all influential in my netball journey. My parents sacrificed a lot to drive me all over the North West for tournaments and training. Suzanne was the first person outside of my family unit who showed that belief, she pushed me but also showed incredible faith in my ability.

What has netball taught you?

How competitive I am! But also how to work as a team unit, netball is all about teamwork, working together and supporting each other no matter what happens.

If you weren’t a netballer, what would you do?

I would maybe be a PE Teacher or a police officer.

What’s your favourite netball moment to date?

Ooo that’s a hard question. It’s probably between getting my first senior cap against Australia or the 2019 Netball World Cup. Both are occasions I will never forget and some of the best memories.

Any pre-game superstitions you can’t drop?

As I’ve got older I’ve become less superstitious. Probably the only thing pre-game I always do is lay all my kit/trainers etc out in the training room. I have to have things ready and organised, other than that I’m pretty chilled and just try to focus on the game that’s coming up.

And finally, what would you say to your ten-year-old self in relation to life goals and netball?

Enjoy every opportunity along the way, don’t overthink it or worry about it, neither of those things will get you anywhere. You love playing netball and being involved in the sport and you play your best netball when you’re having fun. So don’t forget that.

Natalie will be leading our High-Performance Centre Classes in Manchester.

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