Netball Star Niamh on The Frontline

Northern Ireland netball star Niamh Cooper is on the NHS frontline battling the coronavirus.

Prior to the Covid-19 outbreak, the 27-year old from Belfast was juggling life as an A&E Doctor with her role as a semi professional sports woman.

Niamh who describes herself as competitive, loyal and chatty signed for British Superleague side Surrey Storm in September on the back of an exceptional performance for Northern Ireland in the 2019 Netball World Cup.

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Cooper began playing netball, one of the fastest growing sports in the UK, when she attended secondary school at Fortwilliam and before long she was making a name for herself and establishing herself on the international scene.

“I started playing basketball in primary school and loved any sport, but most of my friends were joining the netball team, so I went along and have never looked back!” said Niamh who has 52 caps for her country.

“I played netball alongside basketball and soccer for a few years, but the opportunities at the time to progress in netball encouraged me to focus solely on it.

“The school put me up for trials at regional level and underage national level and I ended up really loving it.

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“When I was at school, my goal was always to play in the senior Northern Ireland team.

“I played in the junior team and under-19 teams, but I always had that dream and I ended up in the senior squad when I was in lower sixth in school.

“At that time I never thought that netball would be something that I could do and be paid for it.”

Having starred on the local scene, the Belfast sports woman moved into the elite league playing for both Loughborough Lightning and Team Northumbria. However, after a gap of four seasons the wing back returned to British Superleague with Surrey Storm.

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“I was lucky to have the opportunity to travel and play with Team Northumbria along with other Northern Ireland Netballers in 2014 prior to the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and I continued in the league when I moved to Loughborough for a year to study in 2015.

“I really enjoyed playing for Loughborough Lightning and was so grateful to experience the coaching of one of England Netball’s greats, Karen Atkinson.

“Unfortunately, I had to return to Belfast to complete my medical degree and the time constraints didn’t allow time to continue at Superleague level for a few years.

“When I came home I played in the Netball Northern Ireland League for Kingsway and I still play for them.”

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Cooper has played at every level for her country including making four starts at last summer’s Netball World Cup. She also represented the Warriors at the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games and captained the Under 21 side at the 2013 World Youth Championships.

“I’ve loved every opportunity I’ve had to take the court with Northern Ireland,” continued Cooper.

“There have been a few stand-outs in the last few years for me - beating Wales in the 7th/8th place play-off at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014 is one.

“Wales had beaten us by one goal earlier in the year to gain qualification for the World Cup and we came back to win by over 20 goals and prove our standing on the World Stage.

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“We sure celebrated in style that night, finishing seventh overall, our highest finish in my career.”

Cooper had made no secret of her ambition to get back into Superleague action prior to last July’s World Cup in England.

Having completed two years since graduating, the timing was right in her medical career and her ambition to play at elite level was stronger than ever.

The Belfast netballer went on to produce impressive stand out performances throughout the competition attracting the attention of several top notch English clubs.

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“The World Cup is always a huge platform for coaches from top clubs to see how players perform in a pressurised environment,” added the Northern Ireland international.

“Unfortunately the tournament didn’t go quite as well for Northern Ireland as we hoped in terms of results, but I’m grateful for the opportunities our national coach Dan Ryan gave me and I came away from Liverpool with a real energy and desire to push on as a player.

“I was lucky to have been given the chance to prove myself and I have to thank Dan for putting me in contact with Surrey Storm Director, Mikki Austin. Without the World Cup, I wouldn’t have had this opportunity!”

Cooper, whose impressive physique and ferocious style of play make her a formidable opponent, made her Storm debut against Dragons in a narrow win at the start of the season in February.

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“I have loved training all year with Storm, it’s a very professional set up, it’s been challenging and intense but the whole group have been very welcoming!

“Our director of netball is a player/coach, and this really drew me to the team. Having a coach that can see exactly what is working and not working while on court, is something that has helped develop my game.

“That first game was brilliant. I really enjoyed getting out there and playing with the girls.

“It felt like a long time coming because we had been training since September and I hadn’t taken to the court with them since the British Fast5 All Stars Championship at London’s Copper Box in October, but to play in a proper match, yes, I really enjoyed it”.

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Niamh’s detemination to play the sport she loves saw her having to find the balance between work, training and playing on a regular basis.

“I was working full time at the Mater A&E when I made the decision to sign for Surrey Storm and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without their support and flexibility.

“I was lucky to be able to take a part-time, job sharing role with a colleague which meant I worked two or three days a week in Belfast, usually over the weekend and on Mondays before travelling to London on a Tuesday to train.

“I trained Tuesday evening to Friday morning with Surrey Storm and returned to Belfast on Friday afternoons to work and play in the league at home with Kingsway.

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“It could be manic at times, but I love the variety and it means I get the best of both worlds!”

Cooper last played for the Storm on March 14 against Manchester Thunder before the lockdown measures caused a postponement of the league. However, since then life has changed significantly for the netball star.

“My life, like most people across the UK, has changed drastically over the last month or so.

“The league has been postponed and I have stopped travelling to London to train.

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“I am currently working full time at the Mater Emergency Department which has now become the Covid-19 centre.

“There was a lot of change made at work in a short space of time to allow us to deal with the influx of these sick patients but we have a great team who have adapted well.

“It has been a stressful time for everyone working in healthcare at the minute, but the Belfast Trust has been very organised and we are very well looked after in terms of the staff.

“I am very lucky to work in somewhere like that.”

“Outside of work, I am in lockdown away from my family, so I am missing the social contact with them as well as my team-mates, but it is necessary for now and I don’t think I’ll ever complain about a hard group training session again!”

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As with many sports men and women, Niamh has been maintaining her fitness levels in what little spare time she has in preparation for the restart of the season.

“Our Strength and Conditioning coaches from Netball NI and Surrey Storm have been keeping us busy with training programmes so I have plenty of training to do on my own.

“Despite working full time, I have found I have a lot more free time so I have been able to give more attention to aspects of my training that I didn’t have time to focus on before, especially my recovery.

“At this stage I am not sure what the outcome will be for the Superleague 2020 season.

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“There are a lot of contingency groups working hard behind the scenes at the moment and all netballers are itching to get back on court. But this has to be when it is safe for everyone, so the league may look different when we return. “From a professional point of view where as much as sport is such an important part of my life and everybody’s life’s, it’s very important at this stage that we look after our health and if that means that we don’t get any netball this year then it’s unfortunate and annoying and we will have to realise what is more important.

“If lockdown does end and we manage to recover from this virus, if we get something before the end of the season, then that would be great, but it’s a waiting game for now!”

As a sport netball has really thrived and grown in the last number of years, however, like many women’s sports, it has a long way to go to be on a par with the men.

“I’m not fully professional, more semi,” said Niamh, who cites her mother as having the most influence on her sporting career. “I am paid for playing but you couldn’t live off it.

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“Turning pro is every netballer’s dream - a few years ago, it was a dream to be paid anything to play.

“There are no fully professional teams in the UK at the moment, Australia is leading the charge, but we are headed in that direction. If I got the chance, I certainly wouldn’t turn it down!

“There are still massive differences between men and women’s sport. Fully professional netball players in Australia - who are on a good salary - wouldn’t be on anything near what the professional male footballers earn.

“I would like to see all sports on a level playing field - male and female sports should be treated exactly the same.

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“Yes, women’s sport has been getting more coverage in the media over the last few years, but we have a long way to go before we are in line with the boys!”

Niamh has earned 52 caps for her country and this focused and driven sports woman is determined to add to this tally.

“Along with my Northern Ireland teammates we are targeting qualification for the next Commonwealth Games in 2022 and the World Cup 2023.

“Once it is safe, we will resume training to prepare for these qualifications.”