Thursday 25 August 2016 11:27, UK
Pamela Cookey is relishing a fresh challenge at Severn Stars after leaving Surrey Storm to become director of netball at the new franchise.
The 31-year-old former England player helped Surrey retain the Superleague title last season, but has called time on her playing career to begin a new role with the Stars in October.
Cookey will work alongside Stars head coach Mo'onia Gerrard, a former international rival, and believes they can oversee a successful first season.
It's been an awesome career and I'm so lucky to have had the chance to do what I've done.
"I just feel it's the right time now," she told Sky Sports. "It would be good to use all the experiences that I have gained to help develop other players who are coming through.
"It's been an awesome career and I'm so lucky to have had the chance to do what I've done. But it's definitely nice to go out at the top while I'm still loving and enjoying netball.
"I'm very excited about the opportunity. Mo'onia was a goal defence a few years ago for Australia, so we had a few battles on court. I'm very much looking forward to working with her. I think it will be a really good partnership."
The Stars are one of three new franchises in this season's Superleague, joining the Scottish Sirens and Wasps Netball in the 10-team line-up.
Cookey understands the demands of competing in Britain's top league, but hopes the Stars can make a big impact.
"There are three new franchises, so we are all going to be trying to find our way and make our mark," she said.
"It's a good opportunity to keep the development going in terms of improving netball across the whole of the UK. But also striving for those performance targets as well, because you want to be the best, whatever you do."
