Blowing the Whistle on the World Stage: The Rise of Netball Umpire, Miss Cole 

When Miss Cole first stepped onto a netball court as a 15-year-old umpire, she was simply looking to earn some pocket money. “My old primary school teacher needed an extra player for their netball team in the local league and with that they also needed an umpire, so they said to me, ‘We’ll pay you £15 to do the game’ at an alternative time to when we play. And I was like, ‘Great, £15 for an hour!’” 

That £15 game has led to something extraordinary. Today, Miss Cole is an international netball umpire who travels the world officiating at the highest levels of the sport, all whilst teaching PE across both our schools. 

This summer, Miss Cole reached an incredible milestone – she was named Umpire of the Year by the assessors at England Netball. The award, which recognises outstanding performance, commitment and impact on the game, is one of the highest honours an umpire can receive in the UK. It’s a testament not only to her talent on court, but to the years of hard work, resilience and passion that brought her here. 

Finding Her Place 

Miss Cole arrived at KES 8 years ago as a netball sports coach. “I originally worked in a primary school, so I was a bit nervous about coming to work at secondary school, but I did really enjoy it,” she remembers. 

She quickly made her mark, becoming head of netball before KES supported Miss Cole through teacher training – an investment in her growth that she’s since paid forward to countless pupils. Now she works across both sites, which she loves. “For me, working across both schools is a really nice change in the week. It brings me a lot of excitement working with the little ones and the kind of feedback I get from them is completely different to what I get working at a secondary school.” 

The Long Journey Up 

From that first £15 game, Miss Cole has climbed steadily through the umpiring ranks. “I have gradually made my way through my umpiring career since I started back when I was 15, making my way up through the different stages of the umpiring and now I’m umpiring at the highest level you can in the UK, so I’m part of the Super League.” 

Her recent step up to international umpiring is still sinking in. “It’s quite new for me and it’s a start of a very exciting, hopefully long journey.” 

Unexpected Destinations 

Miss Cole’s umpiring has taken her to places she never expected to visit. “I’ve been really fortunate, actually travelling with netball and I’ve definitely visited countries I never thought I would go to.” 

One standout experience was officiating at the Youth Commonwealth Games in Trinidad and Tobago, where she encountered Fast Five netball – quite different from what we see in the UK. But perhaps more valuable than the destinations are the relationships. “It’s making those lifelong friends around the world and then when you get allocated other fixtures and tournaments... it’s nice to know that some of those other umpires around the world supported you.” 

With the Youth World Cup coming up, those connections matter more than ever. 

The Backing That Makes It Possible 

Miss Cole is quick to acknowledge how crucial our support has been. “Both heads at KES and KES Prep are really supportive and they allow me time to go and travel and visit these places and experiences.” This backing reflects our commitment to lifting others – enabling Miss Cole to pursue her dreams whilst enriching our pupils’ education. 

The pupils certainly notice when the Miss Cole they know from PE appears on screen. “It is exciting when you come back to school as you forget that people watch you, and it’s quite nice to get that, ‘oh, we saw you on TV, miss.’” 

Two Jobs, One Passion 

Miss Cole’s umpiring experience feeds directly into her teaching, showing her commitment to always doing right by her pupils. “I think there is definitely a link between my umpiring and what I try to do when I’m teaching,” Miss Cole goes on to explain. “I’m particularly well-placed when rules change. It’s slightly easier for me to teach the children the rule changes if there are any rule adaptations because I see it week in week out.” 

Her approach differs between the schools but always focusses on helping each child discover their potential. At KES Prep, she encourages pupils to experiment with different positions rather than settling on one too early. “We’re trying not to get them to focus on being just one main position. So, allowing them to try a range of positions gives them that curiosity that they think they’re a shooter but actually they really enjoy defending.” 

Standout Moments 

Miss Cole’s first year as head of netball delivered something special. Both the under-13 and under-15 teams reached the finals of the Independent Schools National Cup, winning the national plate in both age groups. “For me, as a head of netball in my first year, that is one of my teaching experiences that will stay with me forever with that group of girls.” 

She still gets a kick out of running into former pupils who’ve stuck with netball. Recently, at a game in Leeds, she bumped into an ex-student who was “so delighted to see me and she was telling me all about her netball career and that she’s playing now at this next-gen level.” 

What Success Looks Like 

Miss Cole’s definition of success is refreshingly honest: “always having an end goal in your mind but really appreciating that there will be bumps in the road and that if you build the right support network around you, anything is possible.” 

When asked to sum up our Schools in three words, she doesn’t hesitate: “unique, supportive and a big family.” 

From a teenager pocketing £15 for an hour’s work to officiating on the international stage whilst inspiring the next generation – Miss Cole’s journey shows what’s possible when talent meets opportunity and support. Her story reminds us that sometimes the most extraordinary paths begin with the simplest steps.