Name: Beth Cobden

My job title: Netball Player for England Roses and Loughborough Lightning

How I got the job… I’ve been playing netball since I was 8 years old. My mum used to play, and she took me down to a club called New Hall Netball – I have been playing ever since. I worked my way from county teams into regional teams and got a trial for England U17’s. From there I was part of the England junior system, representing U17’s, U19s & U21’s. I took a break from netball and didn’t play for a couple of years, but started playing again when I was 23 and have been part of the seniors programme and a full time athlete ever since.

My most memorable moment… Winning the Commonwealth games in 2018. It was England’s first ever time to win a major competition. We beat Australia in the final by one goal! It was the first time we have ever beaten the Australian team and the first time we have won that competition. I’m very grateful to be part of such an amazing part of netball’s history.

The best part of my job… Getting to meet lots of lovely people and make some great friends. Being able to train with my friends every day is the best. I thrive off being around people and being in that team environment, all working towards the same goal.

The worst part of my job… Injuries – I have had some significant injuries with my knees. I have torn my anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) three times now, so I have spent a lot of time in rebab.

The key skills/attributes needed in my role… I think that sport is important because it can help develop you as a person. For me, having a good work ethic has helped me be successful. I have put in time and effort to get myself fit and be as good as I can be. Being a good teammate and able to work with people is also important and something that netball has helped me with. It’s developed my confidence to talk to people and to be a good leader, bring energy to every training session and set a good example to make sure that we have a good team environment.

Advice for someone looking to go into something similar… Being a good teammate is massive in sport. It’s an easy thing to do – look out for your teammates, be a kind person and bring lots of energy to training. Put in the effort and hours of training but most importantly enjoy it! When you are enjoying it, you will play well.

Beth shares some video clips from a typical day here

This video was created in partnership with the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust