Mel Mansfield, one of the country’s leading coaches, two-time Super League winner and former England goal shooter, has been unveiled as London Mavericks’ NSL Feeder Squad Head Coach and will lead Mavericks in the new Netball Super League Feeder League.
As part of the relaunch of the NSL, this new underpinning league is designed to deliver extended opportunities for emerging talent, nurture and develop the next generation of world class players and provide a pipeline of talent for the domestic League. Predominantly focused on U23s, squads can include up to four players over the age of 23.
The NSL feeder league sits separately to the pathway system but is the goal for young players to aim for, as the next step into the NSL. This development squad can provide temporary replacements for NSL players when needed. Only in the case of a season-ending injury would a team be permitted to look outside this feeder squad.
Mansfield, who was Mavericks’ Technical Coach between 2013-15, returns with over 15 years’ NSL coaching experience under her belt. Since 2014, she has combined her NSL career with her role as Head of Netball and senior lecturer in Diagnostic Imaging at the University of Hertfordshire.
In the past 10 years, Mansfield has won back-to-back Super League titles with Wasps (2017-18) and six BUCS National trophies with the university.
Most recently, Mansfield has enjoyed working as Surrey Storm’s Assistant Coach alongside Head Coach Mikki Austin and is set to reunite with Austin and Tamsin Greenway who will both support her as feeder squad technical coaches.
Having initially coached Greenway at Surrey Storm, the two went on to form a formidable coaching partnership at Storm (2009-2012) and again at Wasps (2016-2022). In 2018, Mansfield was promoted from Assistant Coach to Head Coach and took Wasps to their third NSL final in three years, as well as a Fast 5 title.
Mansfield and her feeder squad will play an integral part in creating long-term success for London Mavericks, as Director of Netball Tamsin Greenway explains:
“Mel is a huge piece of the puzzle in creating sustainable success for London Mavericks. She excels at working with this age group and is also brilliant at mentoring coaches, so she’s a really good person to have in the environment for athletes and coaches.
“Not only is Mel a quality coach, she’s also a quality person who genuinely cares about the people she works with.
“She is the ultimate professional who is known for driving high standards and creating an environment in which respect for others, hard work and accountability are non-negotiable, which is a massive part of the culture we want to create.
“From a practical point of view, if a senior player gets injured, we will go to our feeder squad, which is why we wanted a big name and very successful coach like Mel Mansfield coaching it, supported by Mikki and myself. Mel will also work in collaboration with the rest of the NSL performance team, with the two squads being closely knit.
“One of my big remits is to make sure we’re upskilling players ready for the Netball Super League. That’s what this feeder league is about. We will be asking, ‘Do you want to become a Super League player because that’s what we want to create, and this is your opportunity.
“As a club, it is so important to us to build from within and invest in our young athletes to ensure they have the best environment to learn and develop. I couldn’t think of anyone better than Mel to develop young talent to fulfil their potential.
“Mel leads one of the most successful university programmes in the country. That partnership with the University of Hertfordshire is massive for us in terms of helping players to stay in education while simultaneously developing their netball career. We can provide a programme that supports their transition into the NSL while also coming away with a degree or qualification that will set them up for life.
“Add Mikki into the fold, who is also Head of Netball at Epsom College and super keen to get involved with this next age group, and we have a really good programme in place for identifying and supporting young players as they transition into NSL players.”
Renowned for her ability to develop and nurture talent, Mansfield has excelled in her role leading the university’s netball performance programme. Alongside reaching eight BUCS finals in her 10 years in charge, 22 university players have gone on to enjoy successful Super League careers, with 18 currently playing in the NSL.
Speaking about her appointment Mansfield said:
“I’m thrilled to be part of London Mavericks and can’t wait to get started with the squad. I really want to make a difference and have a positive impact on the players I’m coaching and, ultimately to support our NSL performance. Our squad feeds into that.
“I’m really looking forward to being part of the wider coaching team, to meet up with Camilla, who I’ve previously coached as a player, and of course to work side-by-side with Tamsin and Mikki again on the feeder squad.
“My passion has always been mentoring players and coaches to reach their full potential. Leadership, standards and culture are also key. It is as important to me to develop good people as it is good players.
“I’m really looking forward to working with a new mix of young talent and also some NSL players who have not, for various reasons, taken a contract this season. It will be a group who won’t largely know each other and I’m excited by that mix.
“I’ve adopted Billie Jean King’s quote for our squad, which is ‘pressure is a privilege.’ We’re not going out just to make up the numbers, we want to compete.
“This isn’t just a squad for a season, this is a squad with purpose. The players we’re bringing together all have real ambition and potential for the NSL. We want it to feel a privilege to be part of our squad.
“It’s important for our feeder squad to put the NSL 10 under pressure, to drive that element of competition and push everyone to be the best they possibly can be. Our players need to be ready to step up if injury strikes. That’s why it will also be important for us as coaches to work closely, as well as the squads mixing when possible so we’re all on the same page.”