Young netballers across Wales and the borders can now trial for the new Dragons Hubs, run by Welsh Dragons, who operate the LexisNexis Risk Solutions Dragons, Wales’ only Netball Super League team. The Hubs give players aged 13 to 16 their first experience of performance netball and a route towards the professional game.
With ten venues across Wales and the west of England, the Hubs bring the Dragons closer to young players and their families, helping talented youngsters develop close to home alongside their club and school netball.
Ken Owens, Chair, of Welsh Dragons, said:
“Dragons Hubs are about opening up performance netball to more young players. For many, this will be their first experience of a performance environment, close to home and with coaches who understand what the top level demands.
“We want the Hubs to reach as wide a group of players as possible in Wales and over the border, and to show every one of them where their netball could take them.
“Every player who comes through a Hub will be better prepared for their next step, whether that is a Wales Netball Centre, a future in the Netball Super League or making a bigger impact with their club and school team.”
Introducing Dragons Hubs
Dragons Hubs are designed for a wider group of players than the selective national pathway. They are open to talented young players from across Wales and the borders, whether or not they are eligible to play for Wales. Hubs will focus on developing talented players between the ages of 13 and 16. As Hubs become established, further age groups will be considered.
Sessions are led by coaches of Level 2 standard or above, working as part of the coaching pathway, and include:
- High-quality match play: game situations at a higher level.
- Technical and tactical skills: building strong foundations.
- Game awareness: reading the game and making decisions.
- Physical conditioning: preparing the body for performance netball.
- Coach development: Coaches will follow a Dragons coaching syllabus, overseen by the Dragons Head Coach, supporting consistent player development and strengthening the coaching system in Wales.
- Hubs run weekly during school term time, with days and times varying by venue. Sessions will typically run from September to July. For this inaugural year, sessions will begin in November.
Who can get involved
Dragons Hubs are open to players who:
- are aged between 13 and 16, with a minimum age of 13 on 31 December 2025
- play regularly for a club or school team
Players do not need to be eligible to play for Wales or to be Wales Netball members to join a Hub.
The Hubs are currently only available for girls. Establishing more accessible Hubs form part of Wales Netball and the Dragons’ longer-term plans.
Where Dragons Hubs can lead
For most netballers, Dragons Hubs will be the first step into a performance environment, working alongside a player’s club and school netball:
- Clubs and schools: Where players learn the game and play regular matches. Hub players keep training and competing with their club and school throughout.
- Dragons Hubs: Weekly specialist training sessions that challenge players, accelerate development and provide an enjoyable introduction to the performance system.
- Next steps: Hub players who show potential can move up to a Wales Netball Centre if they are eligible to play for Wales, or progress towards the Dragons’ development squads and the NXT Gen League.
- Netball Super League: the UK’s top professional league, where LexisNexis Risk Solutions Dragons compete.
Where the Hubs are
Dragons Hubs open at ten venues this season:
- North West: Bangor University
- North East: Coleg Cambria
- East: Haberdashers’ Monmouth School
- South East: Coleg Gwent and Coleg y Cymoedd
- South: Cardiff University
- South West: Gower College, University of Wales Trinity Saint David and Cefn Hengoed Leisure Centre
- West of England: Wellington School, Somerset
Players should apply for the Hub closest to where they live, or the one easiest for them to reach. As the Hubs become established, we plan to add more venues, including along the border.
How to get involved
All places are allocated through trials, which take place at Hub venues in October and November, and dates are on Sport:80
- Register and pay the entry fee: apply directly through Sport:80. All applications will be reviewed before players are invited to trial. Players who are eligible to play for Wales and already performing at a higher level may instead be invited to trial for a Wales Netball Centre.
