Netball Super League | Mavericks Announce Four England Young Guns Joining the 2017 Squad

With seven players already announced, Mavericks are excited to announce the next four – a batch of ‘young guns’ – ready to strut their stuff in the Superleague.

You can read the full Mavericks press release below:

Within this group are a trio of current England U21 Stars, Zara Everitt, Razia Quashie and Halimat Adio. In addition, they are joined by current England U19 Sophie Drakeford-Lewis. Both Zara and Halimat were part of the 2015/16 Mavericks NPL squad.

Head Coach Robyn Broughton had this to say: “Mavericks are pleased to welcome a new group of young players into its 2017 playing roster. All of these players proved during trials that they have the necessary skills and physical abilities to contribute positively to the Mavericks team environment.”

Robyn continued: “As a coaching team we are excited by attracting talented new players like Razia and Sophie to our franchise and delighted to see Zara and Hali coming through from the Mavericks NPL squad. We look forward to having the opportunity to coach them all this season.”

Rise of the Young Roses:

Zara Everitt

Zara, recently selected into the England long squad for the U21 World Youth Cup, is a dynamic young defender who will be keeping the opposition on their toes and intercepting ball where ever she is on the court. Making the move up from Mavericks NPL, Zara is an excellent example of the player development Mavericks is dedicated to.

In Zara’s Words:

“I’m so excited to be part of the Mavericks squad in my first Superleague season. It is something that I have always aspired to achieve, and I plan to make the most of this opportunity every time we step on court. We have a really talented and diverse squad which has the potential to be very successful this season. Bring on 2017!”

Halimat Adio

Halimat made her debut for Mavericks NPL last season and has also been recently selected for the England U21 long squad for the World Youth Cup. Another strong defensive circle player, Hali will turnover ball when you least expect it and shows outstanding potential.

In Halimat’s Words:

“I’m super excited about returning to Hertfordshire Mavericks to be part of the NSL team. I cannot wait to work with a completely new coaching team. This season is going to be awesome.”

Razia Quashie

Razia was vice-captain of Surrey Storm’s NPL squad last season and along with Zara, Hali and Summer, has been selected for the England U21 long squad for the World Youth Cup. A strong defensive player, with excellent speed and footwork, and an ability to turnover ball at critical times, Razia will surprise her opponents.

In Razia’s Words

“I am very excited for my senior debut at Mavericks, the team is filled with such raw talent with amazing coaches helping us along the way. It’s going to be an amazing season at Mavericks this year and I’m happy to be a part of the family”

Sophie Drakeford-Lewis

Sophie joins Mavericks after two seasons in the NPL, first with Team South and then Surrey Storm. An U17 Netball Europe Champion, she is currently part of the U19 England National Academy. Sophie is known for cutting up the attacking circle and is not afraid to put the shots up!

In Sophie’s Words

“I am really excited about joining Mavericks for the 2017 VNSL season. I am looking forward to learning from both the experienced coaching team and the returning players. I think it is going to be a great season!”

With these players announced, that brings the Mavericks total to 11, with one more player left to announce. To keep up with the latest signings and everything Mavericks – ensure you follow our twitter feed @hertsmavericks