After the loss of some key netballers that helped Manchester Thunder to be crowned 2022 Superleague champions, late last week, Manchester Thunder hinted that for the 2023 season, we are focusing on bringing players back home to Manchester to help us fight to retain the Vitality Netball Superleague (VNSL) trophy.
With the VNSL player announcement window officially opening on Monday 8th August, we have been given special permission to announce our first signing for 2023 a week early, as this player is also taking up employment off court within Thunder that starts today.
It is with great pleasure that we can announce that their first signing for 2023 is ex-Thunder pathway player Taylor McKevitt, who played for Strathclyde Sirens last season.
Taylor, who plays Wing Defence and Centre, has been brought in to replace last year’s captain Laura Malcolm, after Laura was offered a contract in New Zealand in the ANZ Premiership with Tactix.
Taylor started her netball career coming up through the ranks of the Thunder pathway, where she won five Northern Premier League titles, as well as being promoted to a training partner for the Thunder Superleague squad. She then moved to London Pulse before being snapped up by Scottish club Strathclyde Sirens in 2019, where she has remained for the last three seasons.
Taylor McKevitt said, “Manchester Thunder is a pathway I came all the way through from youth. It is just super exciting that I’m able to come back and play for my home team for next season. I’m really excited to be back in the black and yellow, as well as the amazing team that we’ve got for this season, and I can’t wait to get started.”
Karen Greig, Head Coach and Director of Netball for Manchester Thunder, said, “I am so excited to welcome Taylor back to Manchester Thunder. After a few seasons away at both Pulse and Sirens, it’s been fantastic to see her development into a starting seven athlete. Her ability to track opposition and turn over ball is a key attribute and one that will prove vital to how we like to play at Thunder. Having known and worked with Taylor from being 13, she is a product of our Thunder pathway and Taylor knows what it means to be a part of our Thunder family. I’m excited to work with her again.”
Talking about the other work Taylor will be doing for Manchester Thunder off court, she said, “So as well as playing, you will see me a lot off the court as well. I am going to be involved with a lot of the camps and masterclasses that we’ve [Thunder] got coming up. So please stay tuned.”
Manchester Thunder has a big community programme running across the North West, consisting of netball camps, masterclasses, and in-school programmes, all designed to be a fun and exciting way to improve netball skills from their elite netball coaching team, helping players to gain experience to learn to play ‘The Thunder Way.’
Manchester Thunder camps are currently running throughout the summer holidays, for netballers aged from 8 to 14 years old. To find out more or to book your place, please visit www.manchesterthunder.co.uk/camps.