COLEG Gwent’s netball aces have been named ‘team of the year’ in Wales following a season of exceptional results and individual achievements.

The squad of 24 from the college’s Crosskeys campus beat off competition from teams across the country to take the title at the annual Welsh Netball Awards.

All aged between 16 and 19, the squad demonstrated high levels of commitment, motivation and enthusiasm in its performance to impress the judges.

The awards are open to all senior, junior, school, college and university teams across Wales to honour the outstanding contribution made by netball players and volunteers.

Members of the team have also been selected for the South East Wales under 18s squad, with several also part of the Welsh Netball Hub and Welsh colleges squad. Some have represented Wales in the under 17 Federation of European Netball Associations Championships.

Goalkeeper Ashleigh Ridout, 17, from Blackwood, is a second year student currently working towards her BTEC Extended Diploma in sport.

Speaking of the award, she said: “I feel very honoured that the team has been recognised for our commitment to Welsh netball.

“We are all very passionate about the game and this award proves that all our hard work on and off the court has paid off.”

As well as being a strong performing team, the girls are also very keen coaches and many are working towards building their confidence and skill levels by coaching their local netball clubs and primary schools, working towards achieving the UKCC Netball Level 1 coaching qualification.