SOME of the country’s best young netball players gather in Worcester next month for a major competition.

England Netball host their newest competition, the 2016 U21 September Showdown Championships, at the University of Worcester Arena on Sunday, September 11.

Teams featuring the best under 21s representing the University of Worcester, Hertfordshire Mavericks, Loughborough Lightning, Manchester Thunder, Surrey Storm, Team Bath, Team Northumbria and West Midlands Warriors will battle it out.

The contest will give a taste of the excitement to come in the Netball Performance League and Vitality Superleague, which will feature the new Worcester-based Severn Stars team.

Sheli Morgan, director of netball at the University of Worcester, said: “We are really excited to be hosting the U21 championships, so soon after our Superleague franchise was announced.

“We are bringing top-class netball to the region.”

Morgan and a Worcester team have just returned from the World University Championships in Miami, where they were invited to represent Great Britain.

They secured promotion to the British Colleges and Universities Sports Premier Division and won the BUCS Trophy during the season.

Worcester were up against teams from hosts USA, Trinidad and Tobago, South Africa, Australia, Jamaica and Uganda at the tournament.

“It really was an amazing opportunity for all involved — getting to play netball against some of the best players in the world is something none of the girls will ever forget,” said Morgan.

“When we took to the court against Jamaica, five of their players were from their senior national team.

“While results didn’t go our way, they by no means reflect the standard of netball the university played.

“They were complimented all week on being strong and for always fighting. We never gave up.”