Solent becomes home to south's only premier league netball team

Solent’s £28m sports complex has welcomed the team, who played a thrilling first game on campus on Sunday 27 October against Academy Netball Club. The club took home the win in an exciting game which ended with a score of 53-51.

Weston Park Blades play in England Netball’s National Premier League Division 1 – the highest amateur level in the sport. The club’s move to Solent is a great fit, with many early-career athletes studying at the University and receiving guidance when it comes to successfully building dual careers.

At home at Solent, Weston Park Blades will have access to the University’s state-of-the-art facilities and benefit from specific adaptations made to the sports hall.

This collaboration will invite students to benefit from lots of opportunities, too. Students from the Department of Sport and Health will find their learning experience enriched with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience when it comes to delivering sports therapy, strength and conditioning sessions and fitness testing with the team. Sports Journalism students are also invited to get involved, learning the mechanics of streaming and reporting on live sport.

Solent’s Sport Education Partnerships Manager, Iain Molyneux, says:

“We are truly delighted to bring Premier League Netball to Solent, shining a light on elite level women’s sport. Working closely with England Netball, we have been able to facilitate the requirements set out by the Netball Premier League and upgrade our facilities. These adaptations have not only enabled us to bring Weston Park Blades to Solent but also host our netball BUCS fixtures in the performance hall, further championing women’s sport.”

The club’s presence at Solent will provide inspiring role models for the University’s community of learners and will undoubtedly raise the aspirations of sports students and societies, as well as members of the Sports Excellence programme. Iain continues:

“Our relationship with Weston Park Blades goes far beyond just netball fixtures in our performance hall; it will also provide a direct pathway to elite netball and countless opportunities to our students. Solent is committed to not only providing opportunities to our students, but also to our communities and we look forward to working with Weston Park Blades both on and off the court, providing fantastic opportunities to our students.”

Weston Park Blades was established almost 60 years ago and is one of the leading performance clubs in England. Players range in age from under 10 right the way through to senior teams, ensuring everyone who wants to play has the opportunity to. Last season, the club came second in England Netball’s national Premier League. Club President, Sarah Wakeman, says:

“We are delighted to partner with Southampton Solent University to bring high performance netball to Southampton and the wider netball community in the south of England. The coaching teams are thrilled to see our top team playing in the sports complex for our nine home matches in the 2024-25 season, and to offer a great spectator experience in the outstanding facilities.

“The ethos of Weston Park Blades is to always give our best, on court and off, and to support our athletes to achieve their netball dreams. We encourage Solent University’s students and staff to come along to our Sunday lunchtime matches to watch the speed and excitement of national Premier League Netball!”

Image credit: Jonathan Patlan Ferrando | SonarEVENTS