Jess Thirlby, England netball's head coach for six and a half years, made a decision that's still got everyone talking: stepping down in March, just 130 days before the Commonwealth Games kicked off. It was a massive shock for many, especially after she led England to a World Cup silver medal in 2023. You just do not see coaches walk away from these kinds of roles so close to a major tournament, and the timing absolutely raised eyebrows.
Walking Away From The Top Job
Thirlby, who coached the national side from 2019 to 2026, explained her resignation was for "family reasons." She told BBC Total Sport that while it's "horrible" to miss out on leading her country in the Commonwealth Games, it had to be the right decision for her and her family. Stepping down just before the Games, which open on July 23 in Glasgow with England starting their campaign against Northern Ireland two days later, shows how tough this call must have been. She's been replaced by Anna Stembridge, and you know that's a tough spot to step into right before such a big stage. Thirlby said navigating not being with the team is "an interesting period," and that she's "quite sad," but "overwhelmingly just proud" to have played and coached her country, becoming the longest serving Roses coach.A Culture Shift Everyone Needed
Here's the kicker: Thirlby believes her job was "much bigger" than just coaching at the Commonwealth Games. She wanted to change the culture around how coaching was viewed in the England set-up, arguing they haven't really trusted their own homegrown coaches. She thinks England is "very quick to change coaches" and wanted to create a foundation for "further and elevated success." Under her guidance, England finished as runners up at the 2023 Netball World Cup, losing 61-45 to Australia in the final. That campaign in South Africa was still terrific, though. Thirlby saw England reach their highest-ever ranking at number two in the world, and she genuinely believes the gap between England and Australia is shrinking. She even thinks Australia doesn't want to play England as much anymore because there's a real risk to them if they lose to a team ranked number three or four in the world. England has been placed in the same pool as Australia for the Commonwealth Games, where they will take on the Diamonds on July 26 in Glasgow. They're also grouped with South Africa, Malawi, Tonga, and Northern Ireland. Thirlby's right: global netball is closer than it's ever been. There are genuinely five teams capable of winning the whole thing, breaking that long-standing monopoly between Australia and New Zealand. What a time to be a fan!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.