Gateshead College Coaches Return To China

We are delighted to confirm that after successful training events in 2024 and 2025, coaches from Gateshead College Netball Academy will return to China at Easter 2026.

 

Led by the highly experienced England Colleges Coach Julie Kimber, a group of 11 students from the Academy will introduce the game to selected schools and colleges in Hebei Province, as well as returning to previous locations to catch up on their progress.

 

This year’s group includes three returnees from 2025 including Sophie Henderson, the Academy’s 1st Team Captain and a rising star in England Colleges National netball squad who has also been selected for the Association of Colleges, AOC, England squad. Sophie’s Co-Captains are also making the trip.

 

The objectives of our association with Gateshead College are two-fold – to introduce Netball into schools and colleges in Hebei, and to offer Gateshead College Netball students the opportunity to put their coaching skills to the test in an unfamiliar environment and gain valuable experience for their academic and coaching qualifications.

 

And, of course, there will be a tournament to finish with. Always good fun!