Brighton Girls welcome Pamela Cookey for a brilliant Bronze Netball Programme
Mintridge Bronze Netball Programme with Pamela Cookey – Brighton Girls, March 2023
“Sometimes it just isn’t your moment. When things don’t go to plan, you must realise that it is an opportunity to learn so you are better and stronger in the future, when it is your moment!”
Brighton Girls invited Team Mintridge and the amazing Pamela Cookey for a brilliant Bronze Programme to work with their netballers and speak to their parents. Thanks to the warm welcome from Brighton Girls, we had the pleasure of meeting everyone during this programme and spending the afternoon inspiring the next generation!
Pamela Cookey
Former England Netball Captain, Sky Sports Commentator and Business Woman.
There was a buzzing atmosphere in the sports hall as we prepared for our netball skills session, led by the one and only England Netball legend, Pamela Cookey.
Not only did the students at Brighton Girls get the chance to be coached by Pamela during our day, but they also had the opportunity to learn more about her sporting journey and some of the ups and downs of her journey to success.
There was an added bonus for the Brighton Girls’ parents, who were also invited to join us in the afternoon to meet Pamela.
“Nobody will let you win, so you must motivate yourself to get out of bed in the morning!”
The presentation was a brilliant opportunity for the students to learn more about balancing their own lives and commitments and how to deal with failure along the way.
“Surround yourself with good people and share your goals and challenges with them.”
The parents and students in the room asked Pamela some brilliant questions. Here are some of the best ones:
Did you ever feel like giving up, and what got you through that?
What made you choose netball as a sport?
What did your typical weekly schedule look like?
How did you balance all of your homework?
Would you ever do something completely different to master it?
Who were your mentors growing up?
What strength and conditioning exercises can our students focus on?
How much emphasis was put on what you ate?
Did your ACL ever get in your mind as a career-ending injury?
What qualities did others identify with you that made you helped you become a captain?
As part of our GDST Sports Scholars‘ Day that we deliver every year, a sports scholar is chosen to be mentored by a Mintridge Ambassador for six months. Brighton Girls has one of the mentees selected this year, and we were pleased to catch up with her during our programme. As a netballer, it was also a lovely opportunity for her to meet Pamela in person as she prepares for trials in the summer.
Pamela and Team Mintridge had a great afternoon meeting the students, parents and teachers at Brighton Girls, and we look forward to hopefully seeing everyone again in the future.
If you would like a programme with Pamela Cookey or want to learn more about our mentoring programmes for your school or club with one of our inspirational Mintridge Ambassadors, please contact Katie Smith.
The Mintridge Foundation is a registered charity dedicated to enhancing life skills in young people through sport. We provide a support network for young people by harnessing the power of positive sporting role models. The Mintridge Foundation assists young people of all ages, abilities, and physical capabilities to develop confidence and resilience, and creates awareness of the importance of mental and physical wellbeing through sport.
Our team of Ambassadors - Olympians, Paralympians and other professional sports stars from over 20 sports, both team and individual - work with young people in schools, clubs and academies across the UK. Starting with visits including assemblies, coaching clinics and classroom sessions tailored to each organisation’s requirements, our ambassadors can then provide one- on- one remote mentoring in a safeguarded environment, delivered via technology such as FitSwarm and Playwaze to build a lasting legacy for individuals.
The Mintridge Foundation’s successes demonstrate the incredible power of sport; from a mentee’s selection to represent Great Britain in their chosen field to enabling disabled children to find confidence and happiness just through participation. Understanding life after sport, we also support our Ambassadors in their transition from active sport to the next stage of their careers.
To find out more about the Mintridge Foundation, please contact Alex Wallace.
