91Èȱ¬

Image source, Getty Images

Loughborough Lightning come into the 2024 season as defending champions after beating London Pulse 57-48 in last year's Grand Final at the Copper Box Arena.

Vic Burgess' side, who are part of a sporting franchise that focuses solely on women's teams, finished second in the regular season but went one better than 2022 when they were beaten by Manchester Thunder in the final.

The success earned them their second Super League title, after they got the better of Team Bath in the 2021 final.

Bath are five-time winners of the league, but their last triumph came in 2013.

Which players should I look out for?

Uganda goal shooter Mary Cholhok is part of the Loughborough squad and is one of the most consistent in the position in the league.

Goal keeper and goal defence Alice Harvey has earned eight England caps in the past 18 months, while captain Nat Panagarry, Beth Coben and Hannah Joseph have also represented the Roses.

Niamh McCall and Nicola Smith were part of the Scotland and South Africa squads at the 2023 World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa.

Bath's roster includes Jayda Pechova, Kadeen Corbin, Emma Barrie and Bethan Dyke.

Goal keeper and goal defence Pechova has earned six caps for England in the past six months, while goal shooter and goal attack Corbin was part of the squad that earned an historic Commonwealth Games gold medal on the Gold Coast in 2018.

Barrie and Dyke represented Scotland and Wales respectively at the World Cup.

Image source, Mary Cholhok

Playing netball professionally required a significant sacrifice for Mary Cholhok.

The 27-year-old goal shooter moved to the UK in 2018 but visa restrictions meant her young son Jackson had to stay with her mother in Uganda.

Cholhok spent much of her time questioning her decision to move - but five years on, the 2024 Netball Super League will finally see Jackson supporting from the courtside.

"Everything just makes sense now that he's here," Cholhok told 91Èȱ¬ Radio Leicester.

"When I moved here without him, it was a lot for me to deal with. So I just feel a lot more fulfilled having him here. It is just beautiful."

Lightning will be defending their Super League title in 2024, having beaten London Pulse in the 2023 final.

Read more from Cholhok.

Stars of the Netball Super League discuss who would be on their celebrity dream netball team, with answers ranging from Beyonce to Paul from TV show The Traitors.

Ahead of the new Super League season 91Èȱ¬ Sport caught up with some of the biggest stars including Jodie Gibson, Geva Mentor and Nat Metcalf to find out their pet peeves in the sport.

91Èȱ¬ iPlayer

The 91Èȱ¬ has secured a two-year deal with the Netball Super League to show one live match per round during the regular season.

Matches will be available on 91Èȱ¬ iPlayer and the 91Èȱ¬ Sport website and app as well as on demand.

"This is a game-changer," said Super League chief executive Claire Nelson.

"It's so hard to grow women's sport, but how you realise your potential and ambition is by working with partners who just get it and say 'we believe in what you're doing and we want to help you on that journey', and the 91Èȱ¬ reflects that for us."

Here is the schedule for the first half of the season, with future fixtures to be announced in due course.

Round two - Saturday, 24 February

Loughborough Lightning v Team Bath

Round three - Friday, 1 March

Team Bath v Severn Stars

Round four - Saturday, 9 March

Surrey Storm v Cardiff Dragons

Round five - Saturday, 16 March

Loughborough Lightning v Leeds Rhinos

Round six - Saturday, 23 March

Manchester Thunder v Loughborough Lightning

Round seven - Saturday, 30 March

Cardiff Dragons v London Pulse

Round eight - Friday, 5 April

London Pulse v Strathclyde Sirens

Round nine - Saturday, 13 April

Manchester Thunder v Leeds Rhinos

91Èȱ¬ Sport

How do I start?

Find a club in or to get going.

What is netball?

Netball is a seven-a-side game where the aim is to score goals by passing the ball down the court and throwing it in your opponents net. Unlike basketball, players are not allowed to move/run/dribble with the ball. It is all about the passing.

Is it for me?

No matter what your fitness level is, there is a position on court for everyone. Netball is a semi-contact sport, so men and women and boys and girls can all play on the same side. There's also a strong sense of friendship and team-bonding within netball teams.

What to expect when I start?

• Netball is an all over body workout so is great for general fitness and improving muscle tone.
• You don't need any special kit, just clothes that you feel comfortable exercising in and trainers.
• You move through the court by running and jumping so it helps with balanceand co-ordination.
• is growing in popularity and is a low-impact way to play the game with no age limits - younger or older!
• Disability Netball is similar to the traditional game but with a few adaptations such as using a ball with a bell inside for people with visual impairments or installing an induction loop for those who are hearing-impaired. Find your nearest club on