Netball Super League | Mikki Austin named as London Mavericks Assistant Coach

London Mavericks have today unveiled Mikki Austin as their new Assistant Coach, the third coaching appointment to be announced by the club this week.

The former Surrey Storm Head Coach has already joined up with London Mavericks’ Director of Netball Tamsin Greenway and Head Coach Camilla Buchanan as the trio plan for next year’s Netball Super League (NSL) campaign.

Having made her debut in the NSL for Hertfordshire Mavericks at 16, Austin has maintained her position at the top of the game for 14 consecutive seasons.

The two-time Super League Champion (2015,16) and ‘Fans Player of the Season’ three years running (2016, 2017 and 2018), became Surrey Storm’s Head Coach/Director of Netball in 2018 and has since impressed as both a player and coach.

In 2023, when Austin led Storm to the NSL finals for the first time since 2016, she became the youngest coach to take a team to the netball finals by over a decade.

Embracing the new challenge ahead, where she will focus solely on a coaching role rather than combining playing and coaching, Austin said:

“I am incredibly excited to embrace this new role with London Mavericks and relish the challenge it brings in what is a groundbreaking time for netball in the UK. This feels like coming full circle, as the Mavericks gave me my first NSL contract when I was just 16, marking the start of a lengthy and successful Super League career. The opportunity to return to where it all began is both nostalgic and profoundly meaningful.

“What drew me to this position was the chance to work alongside a group of strong, driven women both on and off court who embody the spirit and determination I admire. I am eager to bring my passion, experience, and strategic insight to the coaching team and players, helping to foster a culture of excellence and growth.

“I am particularly looking forward to collaborating with Tamsin and Camilla, whose leadership and vision for this new era of London Mavericks is contagious. Together, I believe we can achieve great things and elevate Mavericks to new heights.”

Mikki Austin was Head Coach at Surrey Storm from 2018-2024.

Speaking about Austin’s recruitment London Mavericks’ Director of Netball Tamsin Greenway said: “Mikki has done an incredible job at Surrey Storm. I know Mikki well from her time as a player when I was coaching Storm. She’s a tenacious player and you basically always want her on your team!

“As a coach, Mikki is meticulous. She’s also really creative in how she brings a team and a culture together and that sense of team is incredibly important to her. Mikki is always thinking outside the box about what the whole set up looks like. She’s also direct and not afraid to make a decision, so you always know where you are, which is important to me.

“In Mikki and Camilla, we are fortunate to have two talented English coaches who are super passionate about the sport and who are already succeeding in their own right. To then look to bring those minds together to create a powerful coaching team is a really exciting challenge and opportunity. It’s going to be very much a collaboration in terms of how we’ll work as coaches.”

Mavericks’ Head Coach, Camilla Buchanan, added: “I’m really looking forward to welcoming Mikki. She played for Mavericks as a youth and is probably one of the most passionate people you’ll find in the sport. She’s incredibly hard working and very thorough. She’ll do everything she can to make it a success. I’m really looking forward to embracing her energy in the group and seeing where we can go as a whole unit.”

Alongside her coaching career, Austin has developed a respected reputation both as a commentator for Sky Sports and as a role model within her community, leading numerous coaching sessions to inspire more people across London and the South East to take part in the sport. She has also recently been appointed Director of Netball at Epsom College, a role which will fit alongside her new position as Mavericks Assistant Coach.

Austin is passionate about working with the netball community and is looking forward to focussing on this again with London Mavericks.

“The grassroots game holds a special place in my heart because it’s where my love for netball began. As a young netballer, I was inspired by a previous Mavericks’ player who was tangible to me as we were part of the same junior club. It’s because of this that I am incredibly passionate about coaching at the school and local club levels, as it’s where young talent is nurtured and lifelong skills are developed. I am looking forward to continuing this important work with London Mavericks, inspiring the next generation of players and ensuring the sport thrives at every level.”

While Austin is relishing the new challenge that lies ahead, she was also keen to thank everyone associated with Surrey Storm and recognise what they had achieved together. “It was a wonderful team to be part of, with a fantastic group of coaches, players and fans and I can’t thank everyone enough for my time there and the support we received,” she said. “Obviously there are mixed emotions for me and a lot of other people who were a part of what was an incredibly successful Surrey Storm franchise for a very long time, but netball is in a really good place.

“Although that might sadly be the end of the journey for Storm, it’s not going to be the end of the journey for the players, nor is it going to be for netball as a whole. If we want to turn this sport into the powerhouse that we know it can be, we must continue to show up, so I really do hope that the Storm fans can get onboard, support whoever their next closest local team is, whether that’s on a pathway level or a Super League level. Although the coaching staff and players might be in slightly different club colours, there’s still going to be a lot of fantastic netball for them to support.”

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