Emily to leave Feathers after Glasgow

Head Coach of the Welsh Feathers, Emily Handyside, has announced that she will be ending her role after Glasgow.

Welsh Feathers Head Coach Emily Handyside has cofirmed that she will step down after the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, marking the end of one of the most successful eras in Welsh netball history.

Handyside took charge four years ago and has transformed the national programme. Under her leadership, Wales climbed to sixth in the world rankings — the highest ever achieved by any Welsh senior women’s team. She also guided the Feathers to a Netball World Cup, completed a full Commonwealth Games cycle, and helped professionalise the entire elite pathway.

Wales Netball says she leaves the programme “in the strongest position it has ever been,” with a deep pool of world‑class talent and a clear strategic direction under the organisation’s Ymladd 2030 performance plan.”

As part of that plan, Wales Netball will now recruit a full‑time national Head Coach, with applications opening in August 2026. A new coaching team for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers will be announced soon.

Emily said leading the Welsh Feathers has been “the honour of my career,” adding that she chose to step away “from a place of fulfilment, not fatigue,” and believes the programme is ready for its next chapter.

Wales Netball CEO Sarah Boswell praised Handyside’s impact, saying she has “built the platform from which our next chapter begins,” while Feathers captain Bethan Dyke thanked her for everything she has given the squad on and off the court.

Wales Netball’s ambition through Ymladd 2030 is to break into the world’s top five and compete for medals at future Commonwealth Games and World Cups — and the appointment of a full‑time Head Coach is a major step toward that goal.

Anyone interested in the role can register their interest with CEO Sarah Boswell, and more information is available at walesnetball.com.