Meet Coach Emily Jagger | Elite Netball Academy

We’re very excited to officially introduce the newest member of the ENA, coach Emily jagger. Emily is an ambitious coach, based in Yorkshire and has been coaching a young, and aspiring netball club, Birkenshaw Bells. This year, the club has gone from strength to strength with Emily at the helm and we can’t wait to work more with Emily. So let’s get to know Emily a little bit more!

What’s your background in netball?

I started to play netball when I went up to secondary school at The Brooksbank School in Elland, Halifax. I had very little knowledge about the game and the sport in general. I was a gymnast from a young age and loved being able to try a whole range of sports at school. However, I found netball to be my niche. The school PE teachers who led the netball sessions were and are a big inspiration to me and played a huge role in who I am today.

I really enjoyed being a part of a team sport and I still do. It encompasses so many skills that are valuable for netball and general life. I worked my way up through the West Yorkshire performance pathway and onto the county team. I wish there were camps and academies, like what we provide at ENA when I was a junior netballer.

How did you get into netball coaching?

At school, I got involved in coaching the younger teams which is when my love for coaching started. I was hugely supported and will be forever grateful to my PE teachers who gave me so many opportunities to coach in school.

Emily Jagger — Emily with her Leeds Beckett Teammates

Whilst studying at Leeds Beckett University I was a part of the university BUCS netball squad, this was a tough programme of training but the 7:30 am fitness sessions were worth it in the long run (although I don’t miss them!) and I developed a great understanding of work ethic and discipline from my time there which has influenced my coaching today.

During my time at university, I decided to apply for an advertised coaching role at a local netball club Birkenshaw Bells Netball Club (BBNC) luckily, I was successful, and I completed my Level 2 coaching course. Now I am the U12 and Seniors coach at BBNC.

What’s your favourite thing about coaching?

Being able to have an impact on someone’s life on and/or off the court is pretty special. As well as seeing all the hard work a player puts into their training finally pay off. Whether that’s being successful at a trial or by implementing a skill we’ve worked on at training into a match on the weekend.

Where do you get your coaching inspiration from?

I believe you have to take inspiration from a variety of sources/people. Be open to new ideas and trying new approaches to drills, to continue to innovate and produce new ways of training and getting the best out of the athletes. This can be from the internet/social media, family, friends, fellow coaches and players.

What attracted you to Elite Netball Academy?

Coaching was something I always considered a hobby so to get offered a job in an area I love, full time, was an incredible opportunity that I couldn’t turn down. Not everyone is lucky enough to have the opportunity to work in a job they love straight away after finishing university, I feel very privileged and am very thankful to Anna Carter and the team for giving me a chance.

I also wanted to learn and develop under Anna Carter and the rest of the ENA team. The role I have at ENA will provide me with a lot of opportunities for career development and I look forward to the new challenges ahead.

Do you still play netball?

I have been playing to a high level in the West Yorkshire Senior League for the past six years. Since forming the senior squad at Birkenshaw Bells last year in 2020, I became a player coach and I look forward to seeing how far I can take the two teams that we have.

Over summer I enjoy being able to play netball with my sisters in a midweek local league in Halifax, although we all play the same set of positions which can make rotations tricky!

I mainly enjoy being in the gym now lifting weights and working towards hitting some big PB’s. I have a personal trainer who has taught me a lot about nutrition and wellbeing as well as how to manage my training amongst my busy schedule. From my own personal learnings, I want to share and educate the next generation of netballers with them.

And your favourite Superleague team?

It has to be my local Superleague team, Leeds Rhinos. I loved being able to watch all the netball coverage through the pandemic and support the sport in general. It was such an exciting season.

What key strengths will you be bringing to ENA?

I’m hoping to bring lots of new ideas to ENA that will help the business grow, I’ll bring my passion for grassroots netball as well as my commitment and drive for what I do! I can’t wait to help inspire the next generation!

Alongside existing Elite Netball Academy coaches, Emily will be involved in the High-Performance Centre, Development Centres, Back to Netball classes, Minis and everything in between!