OV Mia is a Netball Star

It was so lovely to catch up with OV Mia Mathewson (Ch 14-21) who was back home for the summer holidays from university.

While finishing her A Levels at King’s, Mia was offered a sports scholarship by the University of Edinburgh and is currently there, studying Business and Marketing – and thoroughly recommends a Scottish university! One of the benefits is being able to trial different modules to help decide which career direction to take, so Mia is investigating both Marketing and Law.

While her degree is important, Mia is an elite athlete whose great passion is Netball. She plays as part of the Scotland A squad, comprising the top 26 athletes in Scotland, including players from the National Thistles team. Mia is also both part of the leadership team and plays for Scotland U21.

Mia has already received her first Cap for Scotland and been awarded her Half Blues for Scottish achievements.

In July, Mia will be moving to Queensland as part of her degree option, where she will play Netball in the State League; a great opportunity to strengthen her skillset. She will be a member of the Strathclyde Sirens Development Squad, training with the NSL squad.

Mia will be trialling for the World Youth U21 team qualifiers with the hope of playing for the World Youth team 2025. Her goal is to make the Scottish Thistles Commonwealth Game squad in Sydney 2025.

King’s Head of Netball, Emma McGinley (Hon OV), added, “I first met Mia in Lower Remove, already an enthusiastic netball player I could immediately tell that she was passionate, motivated and determined to do well, both for her School team and for any other opportunities that came her way.

“At U15 she successfully trialled for a place in the first Severn Stars Nova academy, held at King’s and went on to become School Games champions, with Severn Stars. At U16, she captained her School team to a 4th place finish at the National Finals. This was only the beginning. Unfortunately, Covid put an early end to her School Netball, which also took away the opportunity to play at her final Superball as Captain. Nonetheless, undeterred she went off to Edinburgh University where her Netball has gone from strength to strength.

“A true role model for any player, demonstrating that although doors may close, you never know what opportunities are just around the corner. The second National representative, in history, for King’s Netball – a huge achievement!”