Erin Bolland – The Journey of Resilience and Achievement
14th December 2023
Erin Bolland’s netball journey is a testament to resilience, determination, and unwavering commitment. As the former captain of the U21s and now a member of the Scottish Thistles, Erin shares her insights into her growth and the path that led her to this pivotal point in her career.
U21 Captaincy: Building Confidence
Erin’s role as captain of the U21s had a profound impact on her confidence. She reflects, “I think it’s helped my confidence, having the girls trust me so much to take us through the competition and look to you on court it gives you a different sense of confidence.” It wasn’t just about vocal leadership; it was the knowledge that her teammates trusted her on the court.
The Transition: Finding Confidence
Transitioning from the U21s to Scottish Thistles was a challenge Erin embraced head-on. She shares, “At the Thistles trials I just went in and focused on myself and my on-court performance.” Erin’s growing self-assurance, honed during her U21 journey, played a crucial role.
netball Scotland U21 v Wales U21
Emirates Arena – Glasgow – 14/04/23 .
© Craig Watson
The Resilience Factor: Overcoming Challenges
Erin’s journey wasn’t without its hurdles. She candidly reveals, “I got dropped from everything, I got dropped from institute, I got dropped from the pathways, everything during covid.” However, these setbacks fuelled her determination. Erin’s commitment to her personal development outside of netball strengthened her resolve. She views these challenges as instrumental in making her a stronger, more persevering individual, “Tamsin [Greenway] is the one who made me a stronger person because she didn’t pick me to start but she always said there was a method to her madness and she dropped me which made me like want it more and that was the point of it because I obviously wasn’t showing I wanted it enough.”
Erin Bolland playing against England in Europe Netball U21 Championships
Influential Figures: Mentors and Coaches
Erin attributes her development to several mentors, coaches, and teammates who believed in her along the way. Her first coach, Sally Erskine, played a pivotal role by believing in Erin and pushing her forward., “she just believed in me so much, she’s the one that put me forward for district and things like that, so she had a big influence.”
Erin also acknowledges the contributions of various coaches and teammates, each adding a unique element to her journey, “every single coach has had a different part to play in my journey like Kym Wharton, she used to be my U17 coach and she believed in me, it’s not really one person it’s just every time I’ve progressed another person has added another thing on that’s just developed me.”
Aspirations with the Thistles: Looking Ahead
Looking to the future, Erin has her sights set on significant goals with the Thistles. She envisions competing in major events like the Commonwealth Games and the Netball World Cup. Erin acknowledges that this is the beginning of a new four-year cycle, and she’s committed to continuous improvement, focusing on aspects like fitness and strength. She aims to make her mark in the World Cup qualifiers for U21s, demonstrating her commitment to nurturing emerging talent.
Erin Bolland’s journey illustrates that resilience, hard work, and self-belief are key ingredients in achieving your goals in the world of netball. She concludes, “It means a lot to me to be selected, I’ve worked really hard to persevere through all the sort of mental battles and its made me a stronger person so it genuinely does mean a lot to me.”
Erin is also part of Scotstoun Netball Club, Strathclyde University team and Sirens Development Squad. You can catch her in action in National League with Strathclyde Uni 28th Jan as they come up against Dunedin.
