Forest players have taken 'leap of faith' - Pitman

Nottingham Forest head coach Chelsea Pitman retired as a player this year

Nottingham Forest head coach Chelsea Pitman thanked her newly assembled squad for "taking a leap of faith" with the Netball Super League (NSL) newcomers.

The team, which is associated to the Premier League football club of the same name, will enter British netball's top-flight competition in the upcoming season.

On Wednesday, Forest revealed their debut squad of 10, which includes England international Jayda Pechova, as well as the Scotland pairing of Hannah Leighton and Iona Christian.

"We have a mix of internationals which I think, for us, we're dynamite," Pitman told BBC Radio Nottingham.

"I’m really thankful that they took a leap of faith in me as a new head coach with a new franchise."

Pitman, a former international who represented both England and Australia, said she has assembled a "diverse style" of players for Forest's first season in the NSL.

In defence, Uganda international Faridah Kadondi will be new to the competition, as is South Africa goal shooter Rolene Streutker.

Rhea Dixon is a decorated addition, having won back-to-back titles with Forest's East Midlands neighbours Loughborough Lightning.

Pitman said she has tried to build the squad around some already established partnerships, with Dixon a former team-mate of Brie Grierson at Leeds Rhinos, while Pechova played alongside Natasha Pavelin at Team Bath last season.

"There are connections already so that we are not fully starting from scratch, and the other girls around that are just exceptional netballers that will bolster the 10," Pitman said.

"We have 10 that anyone can take the court in the NSL and be successful."

Full Nottingham Forest squad

Iona Christian, Niamh Cooper, Rhea Dixon, Brie Grierson, Freya Henshall, Faridah Kadondi, Hannah Leighton, Natasha Pavelin, Jayda Pechova, Rolene Streutker.