Rachel Dunn’s 250th

Rachel Dunn played her 250th Vitality Netball Superleague game on Friday in the win over Celtic Dragons. To mark the special occasion, we sat down with Dunn to look over her career, starting with her debut.

“I was playing for Bath and our first ever Superleague game was against Loughborough Lightning. As a Uni of Bath student, we already had a rivalry with Loughborough. They also had a good team so we knew it would be a great game.

“It was also one of the first domestic netball games to be televised. It felt like the start of a new era for netball. Before then we had the county netball season and a Super Cup competition that ran over three weekends. The Superleague gave players the opportunity to train and play week in week out with the same team.”

After such a long and illustrious career Dunn has plenty of fantastic moments to look back on, but there are some that mean more than others.

“There have been so many great memories and I have been a part of many great teams. My first win with Surrey Storm was a standout final. Prior to that win we had lost a few tight finals and semi-finals as a team so to finally get over the line and to win was a special moment.”

Reaching this particular milestone also means a great deal to the Goal-Shooter.

“I am grateful that I have had the opportunity to play that many times. My body has let me, and I have been able to maintain my performances enough for coaches to still be selecting me!

“I have had the opportunity to see the game grow and develop over the years. The Superleague has continued to get better and better and each season we are saying that it is the most exciting one yet. To still be able to play through this boom phase of netball is great.”

Over the course of her career, Dunn has been supported by teammates and coaches alike, something she recognizes and is grateful for.

“I have been lucky enough to play with so many great teammates over the years so this would be a long thank you list if I included everyone!

“From a coaching perspective, there are two who have had a major impact on my career. Lyn Gunson was my first coach at Bath and taught me so much about the game in my early playing days. Tamsin Greenway has also had a big impact on me and has been a big part of a lot of my Superleague playing days both as a teammate and a coach.”

It is clear though that Wasps has a special place in Dunn’s heart.

“It means a lot to play for Wasps. It is great to be part of a multi-team Club that is passionate about sport and promoting the growth of netball. Wasps have both a netball and women’s rugby team. It’s great to see that the Club is investing in and supporting women’s sport.

“As a team this season, we have really pushed on over the last couple of games and put in some solid performances with some tough losses after goal for goal thrillers. We are looking to keep improving each week as a team. If we can keep doing that then we can hopefully turn these narrow losses into wins in our upcoming matches.

“To the fans, thanks for all your support so far this season. After last year’s season without fans, it is great to be back playing at Coventry Building Society Arena again. Having the home fans is like having an extra player and makes a matchday special for all of us.”

Article : Wasps Website