Sam Bird

Sam Bird is a former England netball international and the current Director of Netball and CEO of London Pulse. She led London Pulse to their inaugural Netball Super League title in 2025.

Playing career Bird represented England from under-16 to senior level, but was forced to retire aged 24 due to a knee injury after undergoing seven operations.

Coaching career

Hertfordshire Mavericks (2005–2015) Bird joined Hertfordshire Mavericks for the inaugural Netball Super League season in 2005 as an Assistant Coach. She departed the club in 2015 following 11 seasons. The following season she was promoted to Head Coach replacing Mo'onia Gerrard, who stepped down at the end of the 2017 campaign.

London Pulse (2019–present) In May 2019, Bird was announced as London Pulse's new head coach, succeeding Te Aroha Keenan. She was named as CEO in April 2020. In 2025, Bird guided London Pulse to their first Super League title, defeating Loughborough Lightning 53–45. That season Pulse also topped the regular season table and won the inaugural Netball Super Cup in March.

Personal life Bird studied at Queen Mary University of London and spent 20 years working as a lawyer for the London Metropolitan Police. She has two children, a son Lewis and daughter Daisy. Bird is also the coach of Turnford Netball Club’s Premier League squad which her daughter plays for.

Honours

Head Coach

London Pulse

Netball Super League Winners: 2025 Runners up: 2023

Hertfordshire Mavericks

Netball Super League Runners up: 2015