Sonia Mkoloma

Sonia Mkoloma
Mkoloma in 2008
Personal information
Born (1979-01-17) 17 January 1979
London, England
Height1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Netball career
Playing positions: GD, GK
Years Club team Apps
2005–07 Surrey Storm
2008 Central Pulse 13
2009 Canterbury Tactix 13
2010–14 New South Wales Swifts 69[1]
Years National team Caps
1999–2015  England 123
Coaching career
Years Team
2021–2024 England Netball (Ass)
2024–2025 England Netball Pathway
2025–present Birningham Panthers
Medal record
Representing  England
Netball World Championships
Bronze medal – third place1999 ChristchurchNetball
Bronze medal – third place2011 SingaporeNetball
Bronze medal – third place2015 SydneyNetball
Commonwealth Games
Bronze medal – third place2006 MelbourneNetball
Bronze medal – third place2010 DelhiNetball
World Netball Series
Silver medal – second place2010 LiverpoolFastnet
Updated on 13 December 2010

Sonia Mkoloma (born 17 January 1979) is an English former international netball player and the current head coach of Birmingham Panthers. She competed at three Netball World Championships, three Commonwealth Games and two World Netball Series.

Club career

Netball Super League

Between 2005 and 2007 Mkoloma played with Surrey Storm (formerly Brunel Hurricanes) in the Netball Super League with fellow England defender Geva Mentor.[2]

ANZ Championship

Mkoloma moved to the ANZ Championship and played for Central Pulse in the 2008 season and for Canterbury Tactix in the 2009 season. In 2010, she transferred to the New South Wales Swifts.[3] On 11 April 2011, Mkoloma played her 50th ANZ Championship match between the Swifts and the Magic. At the end of the 2014 ANZ season, she retired from netball with 69 appearances and five seasons at the Swift and 95 ANZ caps.[1]

International career

Mkoloma made her international debut for the English national team in 1999.[2] She earned 123 caps and represented England at five Netball World Cups, winning bronze medals in 1999, 2011 and 2015 and three Commonwealth Games, winning bronze medals in 2006 and 2010.[4]

In August 2009, Mkoloma played for a World 7 team, coached by Julie Fitzgerald, that defeated New Zealand 2–1 in the 2009 Taini Jamison Trophy Series.[5]

Coaching career

Mkoloma became England Roses Assistant Coach in June 2021, and was part of the team behind the historic silver medal at the 2023 Netball World Cup.[4] In March 2024 she became England Roses Pathway Head Coach.[4] She was announced as the head coach for Netball Super League side Birmingham Panthers in 2025.[6]

Media work

Sonia is an Assistant Referee on the revival of the game show Gladiators, alongside Assistant Referee Lee Phillips and Lead Referee Mark Clattenburg.

Honours

England

New South Wales Swifts

  • 2013 NSW Swifts Players' Player Award

Central Pulse

References

  1. 1 2 The online home of Netball New Zealand – Netball New Zealand. Mynetball.co.nz. Retrieved on 22 September 2016.
  2. 1 2 Hudson, Louise (29 September 2009). "Sonia Mkoloma and Geva Mentor sign for Surrey Storm". Sportsister. Retrieved 5 October 2010.
  3. ↑ Leach, Sarah (3 November 2009). "Swifts swoop and England's prized defender signs on the dotted line". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 4 November 2009.
  4. 1 2 3 "Sonia Mkoloma leaves role as Roses Pathway Head Coach to take up Netball Super League Head Coach role". England Netball. 22 July 2025.
  5. ↑ "World 7, 48 defeats Silver Ferns, 44 in 1st Test". www.netballnz.co.nz. 24 August 2009. Archived from the original on 24 November 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  6. ↑ read, Sportsbeat·3 min (26 February 2026). "Sonia Mkoloma hopes her newfound Gladiator fame can shine a light on Netball Super League". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved 17 April 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

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