A Loughborough-based coach has been selected to represent England Men’s Netball at the Men’s Netball Nations Series, which will take place in Singapore later this month.
Tom Halfhide, who only took up netball just over two years ago, received confirmation of his selection earlier this month, capping a remarkable rise through the sport.
Picture credit: Loughborough Schools Foundation
With a background in multiple sports — including basketball, where he represented the Army, as well as rugby — Halfhide first encountered netball through a mixed charity tournament entered alongside his fiancée. That experience led to the formation of Stunts Netball, a Loughborough-based mixed performance club that made history in 2024 by becoming the first non-London team to win the Mixed National Championships.
Alongside his club success, Halfhide has trained within the Netball Super League environment with Loughborough Lightning and Nottingham Forest Netball. His England preparations included a full-day training camp at Loughborough University, featuring a performance match against the Vitality Roses, the England women’s national side and world number three.
Speaking about his selection, Halfhide said: “It’s an amazing honour — a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I’ve competed internationally before with Army basketball, but representing my country in netball is completely different. I can’t wait to head to Singapore and play against some of the world’s best.”
Away from competition, Halfhide works as a PE teacher and coach in Loughborough, supporting both beginners and performance-pathway players. Having joined the sport later than most, he believes this gives him a strong connection with those discovering netball for the first time.
“Many players start netball at a very young age,” he said. “I learned the basics only two years ago, so I understand what it’s like to be new to the sport. That helps me support people at every stage of their development.”
From 2026, his mixed club will begin training on dedicated netball courts in Loughborough, increasing opportunities for young players to observe and learn from adult performance athletes.
Halfhide will travel to Singapore later this month to compete for England at the Men’s Netball Nations Series, which runs from 11–17 January 2026.
