Indya Masser has designs on a big future on and off the court

Art and netball are the ways Indya Masser is able to feel her most confident and comfortable. 

The Manchester Thunder mid-courter currently works as a netball coach for Rugby School but has designs on becoming an art teacher. 

Masser has dyslexia, so it was in the art classroom where she was able to be at her most free during her school days.

“My brain shuts off a lot with art,” she said. “With my dyslexia I struggle, not socially, but with the reading and writing aspects of things and I get really insecure about it. 

“I am not the most academic, I am quite dyslexic, so I am a visual learner. That is what brought me into art and as a student I found I would sit there really quietly and get on with my art.  

“When I got to A Level, I realised it was something I am good at. I never wanted to take the route of sport as I do it every day of my life, I wanted something different and that was something else I was good at.  

Main photo and this photo courtesy of Harry Collins

“It took me onto university to do art there, but I lost my way a little bit with it. I know how inspirational my art teacher was to me, so I want to have that same impact on my students. 

“In sport, it has been about visually learning. If it is information overload, I really struggle when someone is just speaking to me, it struggles to go in.  

“Whereas with a lot of my coaches, they realise now that a diagram is the best way forward, or colourful pens to draw something out for me, just so I can see it.  

“That visual learning aspect that I feel like my and my coaches are all on the same wavelength and it is something I like to tell them as soon as possible.” 

The mid-courter experienced a busy start to the Netball Super League season having initially been part of Birmingham Panthers’ NXT Gen squad. 

She then answered the call from Thunder to replace Nat Metcalf in the wing attack bib, making four appearances from the bench so far this season.

Photo credit: Ben Lumley

Masser added: “It’s been a whirlwind, my season has taken a massive 360.  

“Coming from Birmingham Panthers and them being so supportive around it. It’s been a real pinch-me moment.  

“I was always thinking of what is next. NXT Gen is a massive step forward and it is good for the players that didn’t get signed like myself. 

“I was just taking it game by game. In the back of my mind, I knew that I needed to perform because eyes were going to be on me, particularly having been in the Super League last season.  

“I was obviously disappointed not to get re-signed, I was working really hard to try and get seen again so I was really happy it paid off.  

“It just shows to everyone what can happen. It is great to have been the first one, that was one of my ambitions and goals, to be seen.  

“It shows everyone else in the NXT Gen to keep working hard, eyes are always on you, and I’m grateful it was me.”

While Masser is yet to wrestle the starting wing attack bib from Emma Rayner, she is still able to hone her craft with the help of Metcalf.

Photo credit: Jan Kruger

The former Thunder skipper is sitting out the 2025 season as she prepares for the arrival of her first child in May but stayed involved with Thunder in a coaching role.

Alongside Metcalf, Masser also has the support of her school, and she had the delight of telling her students that she was returning to the NSL for the 2025 campaign having initially missed out on a spot in a 10. 

Masser added: “It is so important. Me as a young girl, watching Super League, watching netball, watching England, seeing the role models that were above me, I thought 'I am going to make it there'.

“I just hope I have that positive impact on my students, and I feel like I do. I work them so hard, but they know it is for the best. 

“They know that I am their role model and if they want to get where I am, then it takes hard work. Hopefully I am a good role model for them.”

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