England netball captain Pamela Cookey, 30, has decided to re-sign for Surrey Storm for the 2015 Netball Superleague season. The shooter has spent the majority of her career with Team Bath, winning five league titles with them, but managed to reach the Superleague final with Surrey Storm in her previous stint in 2012.
Cookey is currently recovering from an Achilles injury which she sustained during last season’s NSL third place play-off which saw the national captain miss England’s Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games campaign.
However, Cookey, who is widely recognised as one of the world’s best attacking players, will now be making her netball comeback in Storm colours. She will be hoping to help take the team one step further than last year alongside former England team mate and Surrey player-coach Tamsin Greenway.
Tamsin Greenway commented, “I’m absolutely delighted to welcome Pamela Cookey back to Surrey Storm this season. We’re looking to build on last year’s great performances and I’m thrilled that we’ve managed to acquire the best Goal Attack in the country.”
“To play and train alongside the England captain is a fantastic opportunity for the players and the club. I’m sure the fans will be as excited as we are to see what we can produce on court this season.”
Pamela Cookey added, “It’s a massive year for me coming back from injury and running up to the World Championships. I feel I needed a new challenge, of which I think Surrey Storm will provide in a different environment.”
“I am excited to see what I can contribute to the Storm attacking unit and hopefully help create the edge to push Storm over the line to take the NSL title.”
Storm missed out on the title by the narrowest of margins last season, losing in the Superleague final by one point after Manchester Thunder scored in the last second of the game. Coincidently, the fixture list for the 2015 season has just been announced and Storm will be visiting the reigning champions in round 1 on Monday 26 January.
Netball London Live will also return for a second year, as Storm face rivals Hertfordshire Mavericks at London’s Copper Box Arena at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on Saturday 7 March with a 6pm centre-pass. With 3,100 fans in attendance last year, this year’s event promises to be even bigger and better in front of the Sky Sports cameras.
James Martin
Image supplied by Gary Baker