Netball Super League | Leah Kennedy – Featured Player of the Week

Leah Kennedy currently studies a part time Sport Marketing Masters at Northumbria University whilst working as an administrator for TASS and playing for Team Northumbria in the Vitality Netball Superleague.

As you’ll have seen throughout this season, Kennedy plays in defence for Northumbria, in combination with Tuaine Keenan. Not only does she play at Superleague level, but she is also the captain of Northumbria University’s first team.

Kennedy didn’t start her sporting life as a netballer, but an athlete specialising in High Jump.

She competed locally and nationally at the UK School Games and also travelled to France where she represented the UK in the Catholic Schools world championships.

At the age of 16 Kennedy had to give up high jump due to a shoulder injury which coincided with a regional netball tournament where she was scouted for Team Northumbria’s NTL.

She was selected for the full squad and joined Oaksway Netball Club in Hartlepool.

After less than a year with Oaksway, Kennedy was in the Premier League 1 squad and the Superleague for Team Northumbria under Tracey Neville.

Following surgery on her shoulder in the summer of 2012, and then in summer 2013 undergoing surgery on her right knee, Kennedy was determined to make a comeback.

She came back from six months out due to these injuries to finish the 2014 season in fine form.

This finish left Kennedy a great platform to kick start her 2015 season. She returned to Team Northumbria as captain.

Her 2015 season was a great one, leading to her being selected into the England High Performance Pathway and signed for another year in the Team Northumbria Vitality Netball Superleague squad.

Kennedy is now aiming to finish the season on a high and make the Great Britain University Netball Team that will compete in Miami this summer.