Ex-England player Pitman named Forest head coach

Former England player Chelsea Pitman has been appointed head coach of new Netball Super League club Nottingham Forest Netball.

The 36-year-old retired from international netball after the Roses won a historic silver at the World Cup in South Africa last year.

Forest are one of two new clubs - along with Birmingham Panthers - to be admitted to the revamped NSL for 2025 as the league moves towards turning professional.

"I am extremely excited at what this opportunity presents," said former wing attack Pitman, who will guide Forest in their inaugural campaign next year.

"I am under no illusion that it won't come without its challenges but that is what excites me the most. This is where growth happens.

"I want to attract players that want to invest in their netball, invest in helping our sport grow, open to challenges and tap into their netball brain. But it's more than that - I want players that want to be better, well-rounded, holistic athletes but more importantly good people."

Forest are owned and managed by the Premier League football club, which says it has "major plans to develop a multi-sport model".

Australian-born Pitman has played for West Coast Fever and Adelaide Thunderbirds in Australia's Super Netball league as well as Manchester Thunder and London Pulse in the NSL, and also in New Zealand.

She called time on her 14-year domestic playing career last month after spending the 2024 season at Giants in Sydney.

Pitman won the World Cup in 2011 with the Australian Diamonds before switching allegiance to play for England in 2017.

She was part of the Roses team that won a first Commonwealth gold in 2018 on the Gold Coast.