The real countdown begins for Gibraltar’s U21

Just three days before Gibraltar Netball’s U21 hit the courts to debut in the Netball World Youth Cup with their first match against the Cook Islands, the team’s positions have been revealed.
Months of training, preparations and selections, in which some players unfortunately did not get past the initial long squad, now see the final selection made public. The initial list was published on August 23rd, with the players handed their kits at an official presentation just days later.
This weekend saw the first glimpse of the players in their new kits, presenting to supporters the who’s who.
The Gibraltar Netball U21 squad will see Alexandra Dellipiani, Anna Howard, Natasha Mena and Sophia Shacaluga as shooters.
The midcourt will feature Cellene Griffins, Demi Zammit, Neima Roberts Cantrell and Sophia Purkiss Galan running the game through the middle.
With all eyes focused on Gibraltar’s defence, which will face the likes of New Zealand shooters, the defence will be made up of Arabella Duck, Emma Torres, Freya Artell and Lorena Davidson. In reserve will be Anna Federico, Searie McGlashan and Sofia Simpson.
Emma Torres will lead the team, with both Natasha Mena and Lorena Davidson as her vice-captains.
The pathway to the World Youth Cup started back in March 2023, when Gibraltar Netball — following the announcement that the World Youth Cup would be played in Gibraltar — began their selection process.
Under-21 trials were held, from which the first steps towards the final selection began.
The long journey has seen its highs and lows, but importantly it has seen a squad come together as one unit in which players have supported each other as they progressed towards final selection.
The squad, who have transitioned through the ranks with many having played in the U19s, recently had some success in Europa Netball competitions. Results such as their 41-28 win over the Isle of Man, as well as their 41-36 victory over Ireland, provided optimism for their pathway to the World Youth Cup.
Some of the players have already tasted international duty with the senior team. Captain Emma Torres is among those who received her first international cap in the Open Challenge match against Switzerland in 2023.
Put to the test playing against visiting teams and a mix of former and present senior national players, the U21s have demonstrated a resilience and unity which has been setting the pace for an undercurrent of new hope for even stronger growth in the development of the senior squad into the future.
With many of the players involved in studies in the UK or in the latter stages of their academic years in Gibraltar, Gibraltar Netball created its own programme of training, which at one stage included working in the UK.
As the players reached the latter stages of their preparations, summer 2025 will be remembered by many of them as a summer of exhausting work for the World Youth Cup. Official training sessions merged seamlessly with personal time on the court, practising their shooting and passing among other things.
Few visiting the Tercentenary Sports Hall will have failed to notice the lone figures of Under-21 players going through the motions as they practised under the hoops day in and day out, while the rest of Gibraltar prepared to enjoy the beaches and summer holidays.
It has also been a new journey for the young team, who have had to adjust to the requirements of not only representing Gibraltar at a World Youth Cup but also hosting such an event.
From photo sessions to promotional video shoots, interviews for social media, weekly and even daily social media exposure, and even being part of a music video — unpaid, and doing it for the love of the sport and the pride of representing Gibraltar — the U21 squad have stepped up to the challenge and set an example of what it means to wear the Gibraltar shirt in sport.
With all eyes on them over the next couple of weeks, few will remember the continuous involvement in marketing and promotional campaigns which saw the team visiting schools, meeting younger players, and even leading netball camps. Using their participation in a World Cup to grow the sport in Gibraltar, training and marketing combined to add to their daily routines, where netball would normally have been secondary to day-to-day life. Instead, in these coming days the players will most likely be judged on their performances on the court.
Win or lose, the pathway these players have undergone during the past months will ensure Gibraltar Netball leaves behind a legacy from this World Youth Cup, which many hope will raise the level of the game further.
Already ranked at the highest position in its history with a world ranking of 26, Gibraltar Netball’s U21 are seen as the new generation, breaking new ground as they push for positions in the senior squad.
The sport hopes that the increased competition, and the experience of preparing for and playing at a World Cup, will also push senior players to step up further themselves, adding to what is already a high-paced momentum in the sport.
Similarly, the participation of these players, with the added legacy of now becoming recognisable figures in the sport locally, is also hoped to encourage younger players to take a further step in their development. The sport envisions that future generations could aim to play for teams in the Super League, as Gibraltar pushes the sport towards a professional level while never losing focus on its grassroots.
With Gibraltar Netball’s pathway policy of players themselves passing on their knowledge down the ranks, there is one gain that can never be removed from Gibraltar’s participation: the knowledge and experience which will be passed on. The Under-21s’ journey in senior netball has only just begun.