Netball Super League | Stars retain Paige Reed for 2020

WORCESTER, ENGLAND - MARCH 04: during the Vitality Netball Superleague match between Severn Stars and Saracens Mavericks at the University of Worcester Arena on March 04, 2019 in Worcester, England. (Photo by Harry Trump/Getty Images for England Netball)

The 22-year-old shooter impressed in her debut season and hopes to make further progress in the coming campaign.

Paige Reed is hoping Severn Stars can challenge for a top-four spot this season as she returns to the team for a second season.

“I am really excited to be returning to Severn Stars this year, excited to progress as a player and as a team,” she said. “I wanted to return as I learnt a lot being a part of Stars last year and am really keen to keep progressing. Having some new staff and players is also an exciting opportunity and working with new people will be a great challenge going forwards.”

Reed has set her sights on a top four placing for Stars. “I’m hoping we can challenge for top four this year,” she said. “With the players we have, we are more than capable of doing this – the challenge is if we can perform back to back as a 15. I’m hoping to take to the court more than I have in previous seasons and get the opportunity to play more with different combinations.”

Reed joins a Stars line-up which so far includes New Zealand star Liana Leota and Welsh internationals Nia Jones, Bethan Dyke and the re-signed Georgia Rowe.

Reflecting on the 2018/2019 season, Reed, who has international experience for England at under 19 and under 21 level, said it had been a massive learning curve for the side.

“We were challenged a lot throughout the season for different reasons, but I think it made us closer as a squad,” she said.

“I felt like we all worked for each other and helped one another whether we would win or lose, or if times were easy or tough. Hopefully we keep the same cohesion as last year because I felt the players came together very early on in the year and we were a solid group.”

She said she was also looking forward to being pushed by someone new, with Melissa Bessell taking over as Head Coach for this season.

“Having a new Head Coach will change the dynamic of the team but hopefully for the better and will push us mentally and physically more than last year,” she added. “With Melissa coming from a New Zealand background it’s exciting to learn new styles of play.”

Severn Stars’ Head Coach, Melissa Bessell, said: “Paige Reed is a beautifully cool calm athlete with an amazing one, two step that Muhammad Ali would be proud of. She is going to shine brightly this season playing alongside Liana Leota. I think we will truly see some amazing new and exciting netball this coming season with this duo, and I cannot wait to watch Paige flourish again for Severn Stars.”

You can watch Reed in action for Severn Stars at the Season Opener 2020 – buy tickets here!

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