Loughborough Lightning Netball captain and England star Natalie Panagarry has signed a footwear deal with Mizuno as the brand continues its support of the sport and its players.
The speedy mid-courter has been catching the eye since first representing her country at under 17 level and establishing herself at Yorkshire Jets. After spending some time away, Natalie returned to the sport with her current side Lightning and immediately reminded everyone what they had been missing, picking up awards from her teammates and fans alike.
Her performances attracted the attention of England selectors which led to a place in the full-time programme, selection for home and away Quad Series and Fast5 in Melbourne.
Her performances as captain of Lightning during the current VNSL campaign have further strengthened her reputation and helped establish the franchise as one of the favourites for the title.
Graham Johnson of Mizuno Netball had been monitoring Natalie's progress for some time, saying "Ever since Mizuno started working with England Netball last year, Natalie was a player I wanted to represent our brand and wear our performance footwear. She exemplifies our core values in her commitment, leadership and teamwork. From a performance perspective, Natalie is one of the fastest players I've seen and I knew our shoes could help with controlling her pace and dynamic movement"
Natalie is wearing the Wave Mirage Netball shoe, which she believes suits her game perfectly. "As a centre court player I change direction constantly so need a shoe that supports my foot but also allows freedom of movement. The Mirage does this perfectly - it's the lightest court shoe I've worn so I'm quicker across the court but it remains stable and flexible at the same time"