Netball Super League | Reaction from VNSL Award Winners

Loughborough Lightning’s Peace Proscovia admitted to feeling overawed after scooping three accolades in the Vitality Netball Superleague Awards.

The Ugandan superstar picked up the VNSL Players’ Player of the Season and the Vitality Player of the Season Awards as well as being included in the VNSL All Star VII.

Proscovia struck terror into the hearts of Superleague defenders in 2017 and helped fire Loughborough Lightning to the top of the table after netting a whopping 812 goals.

Speaking after receiving her awards, she said: ‘I’m really overwhelmed with joy and these awards mean a lot.

‘It means that I still have something great to do in this country and for my country.

‘Most of all, I have to thank England Netball for giving me the opportunity to be here and to be able to play in a team.’

Proscovia’s teammate Vicki Oyesola collected the VNSL Young Player of the Season Award.
The England U21 international said: ‘I’m really honoured.

‘I’ve had a really enjoyable season with Loughborough Lightning – my debut season.

‘We had a really strong team and we were all really good friends.

‘It was great that we were able to achieve what we knew we could – coming top of the league of the regular season and making it to the Grand Final.’

Karen Atkinson picked up the VNSL Coach of the Season trophy after her years of hard work, dedication and squad building since taking over as Loughborough Lightning head coach in August 2014 came to fruition with the club enjoying their most successful season ever in 2017.

She said: ‘It’s a huge honour. There are just some unbelievable coaches in the Superleague and I think when you are one you understand all the hard work that goes in to it.

‘We had a phenomenal season so it’s not just for me it’s for the amazing Assistant Coaches I have in Olivia Murphy and Maggie Birkinshaw – and the fantastic group of players and the environment and culture that we had just made coaching so easy and enjoyable.’

Nicole Aiken Pinnock (GK), Layla Guscoth (GD), Beth Cobden (WD), Bongiwe Msomi (C), Liana Leota (WA), Kathryn Turner (GA), Peace Proscovia (GS) made up the VNSL All Star VII.

After his hard work and commitment in maintaining the highest officiating standards, Gary Burgess was rewarded with the VNSL Umpire of the Season award.

He said: ‘I’m absolutely ecstatic as it’s the culmination of a really hard season, a long season.

‘The couple of extra teams that have gone in meant that we probably had another five or six fixtures than what we normally had, but it’s recognition of all of the hard work that goes in.

‘It’s really nice to have this award brought back in because it hasn’t been around for a while and it’s something else that raises the recognition and the exposure of umpires.’