Bradford College

Sport Innovator Welcomes (ANNA)

Sports innovator - Bradford College is rapidly building a reputation of international acclaim for its outstanding sporting facilities, with professional teams from across the globe jetting in to train at the state of the art Trinity Green Sports Centre. The latest visitors to fly into the UK are the All Namibian Netball Association for a week long visit.

This follows on from the resounding success of the recent visit from the Tanzanian Netball Association, who set up camp at Trinity Green to carry out pre-season training for the African Qualifiers.This is not the first time the state-of-the-art Trinity Green Campus sports facilities have been used by professional sporting associations and clubs.  In 2008 the England Wheelchair Tag Rugby League World Cup Squad used the facilities for their last training session, before winning the Inaugural Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup in Sydney, Australia!

The All Namibian Netball Association played a series of games across the country during their week long visit. They also trained with the England Institute of Sport in Sheffield and regional squad.  This forms part of a UK Development Tour for the All Namibia Netball Association, with the majority of the Programme being based at Bradford College's Trinity Green Sports Centre.

During their visit to the UK, the (ANNA) were given a warm welcome by staff at Bradford College and treated to a tour of the College’s world class facilities. The delegation rounded off their trip by attending a civic reception with the Deputy Lord Mayor and were given a guided tour of City Hall.
All Namibian Netball Association Coach, Marcha Myburgh commenting on the trip to the UK said: “Last year we had a development programme which involved England Netball representative, Liz Broomhead coming over to Namibia.  The trip to the UK forms part of a follow up Programme, following the success of the visit from Liz.”

Coach, Marcha Myburgh added: “The facilities at the College are outstanding and the accommodation is great. We have been made to feel extremely welcome and have greatly benefitted from the visit.”

Namibian team player, Susanna Van Zyl, thanked the College and England Netball on behalf of the squad, and said: “We’ve had an amazing experience, while we’ve been here, we’ve been working to improve and develop skills we already have and have practiced quite a bit!”

The trip from the overseas squad was organised by Liz Broomhead of the International Federation of Netball Associations.  Liz worked alongside England Netball's West Yorkshire Development Officer, Sian Foley, and Shipley Netball Club to give the Namibian squad of players, coaches, umpires and officials a taste of how England Netball is developing the Sport in the region.

The trip has proved especially fruitful for (ANNA), who want to develop a new Netball infrastructure back in Namibia to improve their world standing.

England Netball's Regional Excel Coach, Joan Young said: ''It is a delight to have the Namibian Team training and competing with Yorkshire's best young talent and established coaching and Club staff. We welcome the opportunity to share our experience and the Squad has made tremendous progress in a short time. Bradford College has even had them Boxing as part of the conditioning programme, top class Netball is a high speed sport! The work we’re doing with the coaches and match officials will see the ANNA move to their rightful place in the International Netball rankings.''

Ronnie Todd, Directorate Project Manager concluded: “Liz and her colleagues at IFNA do a fabulous job in promoting new Netball developments across the world, contributing to our role as a leading Sports nation. On behalf of all our Sports colleagues in the City, the ANNA Team has been a fantastic group of determined sports women to work alongside''.

• Click here to see the latest photographs from ANNA's recent visit.