Starting Point Recruitment sponsors Tipton-founded club as it enters top tier of West Midlands league for first time in 35-year history
A West Midlands netball club has completed back-to-back promotions to reach the top tier of regional competition for the first time in its 35-year history.
Midrange Netball Club secured its place in Division 1 of the West Midlands Regional Netball League with a 50-35 victory over Birmingham Athletic Institute (BAI) in the final game of the season at the University of Wolverhampton’s Walsall Campus.
The result saw Midrange finish second in Division 2 on 75 points, behind champions Sutton Town (77) and ahead of Yendys (73) and BAI (69), with all three clubs still in contention for the second promotion place going into the final round of fixtures.
Final-day drama seals second successive promotion
Founded in Tipton and renamed Midrange in the late 1990s, the club fields five teams and welcomes players aged between 14 and 66.
The regional squad itself ranges in age from 25 to 42, with that experience proving decisive during one of the most competitive Division 2 seasons in recent years.
Among the standout performers was Sam Cooksey, 42, who delivered a full 60-minute performance in the promotion-clinching game. Having represented the regional side for 15 years, her campaign embodied the club’s values of longevity and development.
Tributes paid as club carries losses into new chapter
The season was shaped by both triumph and adversity. The club continues to honour former coach and chair Sally-Ann Chambers, who passed away in July 2024, with her name featured on the team’s kit.
A further bereavement towards the end of 2024 saw the club lose a much-loved player and supporter.
Off the court, Midrange faced a late-season setback when a sponsor withdrew, leaving the club facing the cost of replacing playing dresses.
Recruitment firm steps in to keep promotion push on track
Walsall-based recruitment firm Starting Point Recruitment (SPR) stepped in to cover the expense.
Coach Becky Tildesley said: “Having a supportive company like SPR has allowed us to focus, and restored our faith in good people and good business.”
Midrange will compete in Division 1 for the first time when the 2026–27 season begins this autumn.
Professor Paul Cadman, chief executive of SPR, said: “We recognise the hard work and commitment Midrange Netball Club has shown, and we’re thrilled to formally join them on their journey to future success.
“We take a similar approach in the day job when we place people into work: We look at the person and their future potential, not just their CV. We wish Midrange well for the upcoming season in Division 1.”
