24 September 2019

Team Bath Netball announce British Army flight commander and former England player as new head coach

Team Bath have announced former England netballer Jo Vann as new Head Coach ahead of the Vitality Superleague 2020 season.

Vann played for Bath whilst studying Sport & Exercise Science at the University. She was one of the first players to wear the Blue & Gold kit back in 2005 and made her senior England debut just a year later.

She won four Superleague titles with the side before retiring in 2011 to join the British Army where she served as a ground support flight commander with 654 Squadron during a tour of Afghanistan.

Vann said: “To be returning to the club where I was inspired as a player is an absolute dream.”

The 35-year-old is the first coach to receive a Professional Sportsperson Contract. This allows her to remain in the Forces whilst coaching at Bath.

“The Army places great value on sport for the leadership, teamwork and the dedication it builds in its people.

“Both for the Army and Team Bath, people are at the heart of what we do and I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity to be involved in something that I am so passionate about.”

Her role will oversee the Future Performance Pathway and identify future stars all the way through to the elite high-performance athletes.

Director of Sport at the University of Bath Anna Stembridge added: “We undertook a rigorous recruitment process for this role and we're all impressed and excited by Jo’s vision for the future of Team Bath Netball.”

Bath will face Loughborough Lightning in the opening round of the Netball Superleague in February 2020.

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