1646 – Issue 4

2 0 Francesca Williams (2016) Currently plays for Loughborough Lightning in the Netball Superleague and was selected to play for England Roses in this summers Netball World Cup After school I took a year out from education to pursue my netball career, playing in the Netball Superleague with the new Wasps netball team, and leading the England U21 Roses to a bronze medal in the World Youth Cup in Botswana. I then enjoyed four years at the University of Birmingham studying Economics, and alongside my studies I continued developing my playing career with Wasps and the England Roses senior team. This included representing the Roses at the Netball World Cup in Liverpool in 2019 – still the pinnacle of my netball career to date! Since graduating in 2021, I have been a full-time athlete on the England programme and have had amazing opportunities to compete internationally and play for Loughborough Lightning in the Superleague. Off the court I am the Player Chair on the Board of the Netball Players Association, ensuring that I represent the players’ views and interests in all aspects of the development and governance of our game as we seek to make the game fully professional in this country. It was in primary school that I first realised my passion for sport and in particular netball. I started playing at 11 years old at Woodley Netball Club here in Reading. Everyone who knows me can see what a competitive person I am! I think this, combined with my desire to continually improve, has contributed to my success in netball to date. If I was giving advice to younger, aspiring athletes I would say ‘keep believing in yourself’! I know it’s a cliché but it is just so true. No one will back you if you don’t whole heartedly believe you can do it. I have had great opportunities, but I also work extremely hard, on and off court, and it takes dedication as well as ability to be successful. I have had to make difficult decisions at times, like going part-time on my degree for a couple of years to accommodate training and travel demands. And I have often missed out on family occasions and social events, but I have great friends – including my old Blue Coat friends – who understand what I do and support me. Also, it is important to mention (as often it’s forgotten) to remember to have fun! That is why I started playing netball after all. I have so many fond memories of Reading Blue Coat – lots of which are centred around playing sport! I always looked forward toWednesday games and our netball fixtures. However, I would say my favourite memory was our Prefects dinner. It was such a fun evening celebrating our time at the School with lots of my close friends. In terms of what the future holds, this weekend I am playing in the Superleague finals with Loughborough. Then in July I am super excited to be off to Cape Town to represent the Roses in my second Netball World Cup. It is a fantastic time to be involved in women’s sport and I am a passionate advocate for pushing the development of my sport. Female athletes are breaking records, shattering glass ceilings and inspiring millions around the world. We are proud to profile four female Old Blues who have gone on to have an impact and influence on each of their respective sports; Rugby; Netball; Rowing and Triathlon. Their commitment to excellence serves as a testament to the power of perseverance and the limitless potential of women in sports, inspiring future generations to pursue their dreams fearlessly. Competiti The Female Old Blues who’ve got what it takes to compete in theworld of sport