New Head Coach for the Future Red Roses

England Netball has announced the appointment of Kathryn Ratnapala as coach of the Future Red Roses. 

A vastly experienced coach, Kathryn was a major figure in the development of the Vitality Netball Superleague and the Vitality Roses programme. Her impressive CV includes spells as Assistant Coach and Technical Coach to the Vitality Roses, and she also led the team in a 2020 tour of New Zealand, when Head Coach Jess Thirlby was unavailable due to Covid. 

The Future Roses programme has been established to create a pathway for young players to become ‘Roses Ready’, with one eye already looking forward to the 2026 Commonwealth Games and the 2027 World Cup. 

Kathryn spoke to England Netball: “This is an extremely exciting opportunity to work with a fantastic cohort of young and driven athletes to develop their talent and ensure the continued legacy of Roses success on the international stage. 

“I am delighted to be involved in developing the next generation of Roses and looking forward to getting started, helping to build well-rounded, international stage ready athletes.”