Success in Singapore has marked an extraordinary chapter for Leicestershire PE teacher Tom Halfhide, who represented England at the 2025 Men’s Netball Nations Series – just over two years after first picking up the sport.
Tom travelled to Singapore as part of the England A squad for the international tournament, where the team produced an impressive run to the final before finishing as silver medallists in January. The achievement marked a proud moment both for Tom and for the Loughborough Schools Foundation, where he teaches physical education.
Picture credit: Tom Halfhide
What makes the story particularly remarkable is how recently his netball journey began. Growing up, Tom played a range of sports including basketball – competing at representative level during his time in the Army – as well as rugby. Netball, however, only entered the picture during a mixed charity tournament he attended with his fiancée.
“I actually fell in love with netball straight away after playing in a mixed charity tournament with my fiancée,” Tom said. “What surprised me most was how tactical it is. It’s also far more physical and fast-paced than many people realise, and that challenge really hooked me.”
From that first game, his progress was rapid. Alongside his fiancée, Tom co-founded Stunts Netball, a mixed performance club based in Loughborough. In 2024 the club made history by becoming the first non-London team to win the Mixed National Netball Championships – a significant milestone that underlined how quickly Tom had established himself in the sport.
As his game developed, Tom trained within the Loughborough Lightning pathway and also worked with Nottingham Forest Netball in the Netball Super League system. He later attended a full-day England training camp at Loughborough University, where the squad faced a performance match against the England Roses Netball Team – currently ranked among the top teams in the world.
The experience proved invaluable preparation for the pace and pressure of international competition in Singapore.
“To have the opportunity to represent England is incredibly special,” Tom said.
“To be part of a national squad and to compete on an international stage is something I feel hugely proud of.”
Back in school, Tom teaches PE across the Foundation, including rugby at Loughborough Grammar School, while also coaching girls’ netball at Fairfield Prep School and Loughborough High School. Because he only learned the sport recently himself, he believes it helps him relate to pupils who are just starting out.
“Two years ago I didn’t know the rules,” he explained. “That helps me support pupils who are just starting out, as well as those aiming to play at a high level.”
From next year, his mixed club will train on the Foundation’s netball courts, giving pupils the chance to watch adult performance players in action and learn from them up close.
For Tom, inspiring students is one of the most rewarding aspects of his journey.
“If my journey shows pupils anything, it’s that it’s never too late to try something new,” he said. “I only started playing netball a couple of years ago, so being able to share that experience with the students and show them where dedication can lead is really rewarding. Hopefully it encourages them to back themselves and give new opportunities a go.”
