Loughborough sporting star continues to inspire next generation
Netball superstar Ella Clark is continuing to develop her role as head of netball at the Loughborough Schools Foundation, influencing the next generation of players.
Having joined the Foundation in 2019 as a graduate sports assistant, the three-time Netball Super League champion and former professional basketball player has been leading netball as the head coach since 2021 across Fairfield Prep School and Loughborough High School for girls.
Ella’s connections to the professional game and to Loughborough University, where she still plays for Lightning in the Netball Super League, means primary school-aged pupils up to age 18 benefit from a depth of expertise not typically found in school sport.
The Foundation has also been supporting its athletes since 2024 with its Netball Player Pathway Programme, in which promising players from Year 10 are invited to trial for a place and, if successful, take part in a scheme of enhanced training and support. Ella’s leadership has taken this programme to the next level.
Jo Hackett, director or sport at Loughborough Schools Foundation, said: “In Ella, pupils at our schools have more than just a coach, they have a mentor who’s lived the highs and lows of elite sport and now dedicates herself to helping young players thrive. Her role strengthens our partnership further and is a brilliant opportunity to learn from one of the very best.
“We’re proud to also support the Lightening team and continue our strong connection with Loughborough University. We’ve been able to help the team by offering our courts for training when the university facilities were unavailable, showing that our partnership goes both ways.”
Ella’s sporting journey began almost as soon as she could walk. With a basketball coach for a father - who once led the GB national women’s team - she rose quickly through the basketball ranks before turning to netball at age 12.
After a professional basketball career in Spain and Italy, Ella returned to the UK, making an immediate impact in netball with Mavericks before joining England’s centralised programme, where she won her first senior international cap. Since then, she has spent eight seasons with Loughborough Lightning, combining elite performance with mentoring the next generation.
Ella said: “Having played professionally, a lot of things come naturally. You can see when something’s not quite right and offer a quick fix. And you can spot real potential and help guide pupils into the right channels to develop further.
“It’s about more than just coaching. We’re trying to offer the kind of wraparound development that elite athletes get, strength and conditioning, nutrition workshops, and sessions on topics like sports psychology and female health. Next year we’re planning to have guest coaches like Peace Proscovia and other Lightning players coming in to talk to the girls, which helps them see what’s possible.”
Her time in the England programme, alongside setbacks like an ACL injury, shaped her resilience. Ella returned in time to be part of the training squad for the England team that famously won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
The Netball Super League is currently on a journey toward full professionalisation, with this year being the first of mandatory big-arena fixtures. That same sense of progression is at the heart of Ella’s work across the Foundation.
She added: “Each season the league sets new benchmarks to help the sport grow. It’s great to be able to work across all ages, from Prep to High School, meaning we can set standards from the start, not just in skills but in the values that sport teaches, including teamwork, communication, and dealing with setbacks.”