Team England Futures athlete Shannon Mahalik credits her mother and sister as role models on her path to the elite sport.
Team England Futures rising star Shannon Mahalik has paid tribute to her role models who introduced the youngster to netball. He spoke at SportsAid Live, which brought together youngsters, parents and carers and coaches at the Alexander Stadium to chat and seek advice from each other, ensuring youngsters are optimally prepared for the elite game.
The 18-year-old, who has coached sessions at Ormuskirk Netball Club, made her Netball Super League debut for Manchester Thunder last year, and the England U19 revealed her netball journey started at a young age.
“I got into netball when I was four, and it was mainly because of my older sister, Angel and mum,” she said. “It was as soon as I could walk; he put a ball in my hand, and I was playing with my sister. They are two of my role models.
“My mum does everything for me; she goes out of the country countless times, constantly pays for fees and clubs and kit – she’s amazing.”
Mahalak highlighted what he learned from spending his afternoon mingling with other young athletes in various sports.
“My takeaways are that it’s okay to feel pressure in a big environment and to be authentic in teams and environments,” he said. “I’ve met new people in new sports that I hadn’t researched before, and it’s so interesting to talk to the players and find out what they have to deal with. It’s supportive.
“Every year I’ve been in the academy, I’ve been bumped for a year or two, so I think every year has been a big step and always aim higher. This event is new for me; I’m meeting new people, especially in new sports. It’s quite interesting to talk to the players and find out what they have to do.”
Netball will be one of the showpiece events of the 2026 Commonwealth Games to be held in Glasgow from July 23 to August 2. In partnership with Commonwealth Games England, SportsAid delivers the Team England Futures programme, which gives athletes, coaches and support staff an insight into the demands of multi-sport events, helping them prepare for future Commonwealth and Olympic Games.
On its way to Glasgow 2026, the King’s Baton Relay also made a stop at the Alexander Stadium with Geely, the official automotive partner of Team England, starring in the English leg.
“I am very excited to see England at the Commonwealth Games and to experience the atmosphere, the crowd support and the support after the match that I hope to experience one day,” he said. “We’re trying to get netball into the Olympics, and I’m always pushing for the biggest stage.”
Commonwealth Games England has appointed SportsAid to lead the delivery of Team England Futures for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. Building on the success of the programme at Birmingham 2022, Team England Futures will provide athletes, coaches and support staff with valuable insight and experience of a major multi-sport sporting environment, helping them prepare for future Commonwealth, Olympic and Paralympic opportunities.
