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Leap: Making the jump to take netball to the top of the world
An inspiring memoir by England netball star and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Geva Mentor.
**Includes an exclusive 15% discount code for Gilbert Netball**
Geva Mentor is the best netballer in the world. In her honest, open and inspiring autobiography, Leap , she sheds light on her journey to the top.
As a child Geva was a naturally gifted athlete, standing out at 5'10" at the age of twelve. She began life as a champion trampolinist, but when she outgrew the sport, literally, she found she had to try something new. This led her to basketball, but the boys on the other teams complained - she was just too good. Making up the numbers for an impromptu netball match one day at the age of thirteen she found her home in netball - or rather it found her.
From here, Geva's rise amongst the ranks of British netball was stratospheric , she was playing for the England senior team when she was just fifteen years old.
Taking risks and forging the way for other athletes Geva moved to Australia to develop her game by playing in the best league in the world and eventually winning Commonwealth gold with the England Roses.
However, it's not all been easy, both on and off the court, and Geva talks honestly about her personal life, and how the difficulties and failures of her teams, both international and domestic, have driven her on to achieve the highest possible success in the sport.
**Includes an exclusive 15% discount code for Gilbert Netball**
Geva Mentor is the best netballer in the world. In her honest, open and inspiring autobiography, Leap , she sheds light on her journey to the top.
As a child Geva was a naturally gifted athlete, standing out at 5'10" at the age of twelve. She began life as a champion trampolinist, but when she outgrew the sport, literally, she found she had to try something new. This led her to basketball, but the boys on the other teams complained - she was just too good. Making up the numbers for an impromptu netball match one day at the age of thirteen she found her home in netball - or rather it found her.
From here, Geva's rise amongst the ranks of British netball was stratospheric , she was playing for the England senior team when she was just fifteen years old.
Taking risks and forging the way for other athletes Geva moved to Australia to develop her game by playing in the best league in the world and eventually winning Commonwealth gold with the England Roses.
However, it's not all been easy, both on and off the court, and Geva talks honestly about her personal life, and how the difficulties and failures of her teams, both international and domestic, have driven her on to achieve the highest possible success in the sport.
- GenresNonfictionBiography
190 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 27, 2019
33 people are currently reading
129 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
January 24, 2022
Not the most well written or thrilling book ever written but enjoyable and it has Inspired me to learn more about the history of English netball. What Geva Mentor did for women in the sport is pretty impressive and as a player she is undeniably one of the very best in the world. Went back and watched a few matches and hopefully will get to see some live elite netball later this year!
June 30, 2019
Amazing and Insightful
You mention the name Geva Mentor and you think of one of the worlds best netballers period- regardless of starting position. But have you ever thought about her story?
The problem with many autobiographies is that the author tends to white wash their story and you get a sense that they are hiding someone. But Geva is the opposite- she specifically mentions her divorce and goes into some worts and all details surrounding it.
As a writer, she is technically proficient and engages her reader- I could hardly put this novel down and didn’t want it to stop. He only downside is that there’s a seriously massive proof blunder that’s made it into the kindle edition (unsure of the hardback edition).
She starts her story with her mother and father meeting before moving onto her childhood and her love for sport; while not dragging it out, you understand her love for sport, before moving onto her netball career and her move to Collingwood Magpies.
I recommend this book for any netball or sport fan.
You mention the name Geva Mentor and you think of one of the worlds best netballers period- regardless of starting position. But have you ever thought about her story?
The problem with many autobiographies is that the author tends to white wash their story and you get a sense that they are hiding someone. But Geva is the opposite- she specifically mentions her divorce and goes into some worts and all details surrounding it.
As a writer, she is technically proficient and engages her reader- I could hardly put this novel down and didn’t want it to stop. He only downside is that there’s a seriously massive proof blunder that’s made it into the kindle edition (unsure of the hardback edition).
She starts her story with her mother and father meeting before moving onto her childhood and her love for sport; while not dragging it out, you understand her love for sport, before moving onto her netball career and her move to Collingwood Magpies.
I recommend this book for any netball or sport fan.
January 4, 2024
Quite repetitive, and probably not the best writing ever, maybe would be a 3/5 but an extra point for NETBALL. Loved gaining a deeper insight into elite netball, loved the name drops, loved the drama. Every player should be forced to write a book as part of their contract lol. Thank you Geva xo
January 5, 2022
not great lol
March 21, 2022
Well written and very inspiring. 4.5 stars
September 3, 2022
A very easy read - an interesting look into the history of netball through a players perspective and the personal/professional life balance
February 11, 2022
such a great ambassador for Netball, amazing inspiration to young players up and coming who would also love to play at such an elite level. Geva is a local southern girl through and through and I've had the pleasure in working with her and knowing her as a normal person. She has shown it's not easy to get there but if you're determined anything is possible.
July 20, 2021
Geva Mentor is a titan of netball. She has experienced first hand the professionalisation of the sport, has played in multiple countries, and has won and lost championships thus she is the perfect person to write a memoir. This book is an easy read that follows Geva through her early life trying out different sports before landing on netball. We see her work through the English system as a teenager, become a starting player for England, move to Australia, and captain a premiership winning side.
Personally I skimmed over a lot of the early life stuff. I was most interested in the behind the scenes stories that are often kept hush hush in netball. For example, the Thunderbirds and the infamous Bali trip, or the contracting details. Geva's story is an illustration of both how far netball has come and how far we still have to go as a sport. Some of the stories - not getting her first test cap, not being allowed to miss a tour, the way certain situations were handled - were hard to read but bring to light issues within the sport.
As for the storytelling, you can tell this is written in Geva's voice and she is appropriately reflective of her career and experiences. Would recommend for any netball fan.
Personally I skimmed over a lot of the early life stuff. I was most interested in the behind the scenes stories that are often kept hush hush in netball. For example, the Thunderbirds and the infamous Bali trip, or the contracting details. Geva's story is an illustration of both how far netball has come and how far we still have to go as a sport. Some of the stories - not getting her first test cap, not being allowed to miss a tour, the way certain situations were handled - were hard to read but bring to light issues within the sport.
As for the storytelling, you can tell this is written in Geva's voice and she is appropriately reflective of her career and experiences. Would recommend for any netball fan.
July 6, 2019
I love reading a really good sports biography and this one fits the bill for sure. I have met Geva a few times. She is an amazing person and for the first time ever, I understand what helps to make her tick. Geva is undeniably one of the BEST netballers in the world and this is her story...
From her beginnings in exploring many sports (individual before discovering team) and her dedication to those sports at the time, to her discovery of netball, to her move to Australia and what it means to represent her country. All throughout, she has the love and support of her mum and brother. They step up when others step back and you can see that this strong family unit is a big reason why she has become the leader and sportsperson that she is today.
Many sports biographies gloss over the hard things. Sure they talk about it because it needs to be said but they don't go into it. Geva is the opposite, she pulls it apart and explains the how and the why. She also admits to her part in any issues and is not willing to shirk responsibility. It was hard reading about England Netball and their treatment of her when she wanted to improve her game. It was hard to read about the breakdown of her marriage (even though that is never easy). Her upfront nature is refreshing.
I think one of the best things to come from this book is her outright positivity for netball and for life. Her views on being a bench player and what you can offer from this position is GOLD for the kids who dream of being a superstar and remind them that every position is important and that you can learn from it. It is what you give to your team that counts and sometimes the best way to give to your team is sit on the sidelines and watch.
What a stunning career for a woman who has won many accolades. Being able to share in that story gives a much better understanding of her. When reading, it is her voice you hear in your head. The writing is so genuinely personal that you can imagine she is speaking her truth to you, and you alone.
This book is for any young person aspiring to be a professional athlete, for armchair sports people (like me) and for anyone who has a love of Netball or reading about someone who is at the top of their field.
From her beginnings in exploring many sports (individual before discovering team) and her dedication to those sports at the time, to her discovery of netball, to her move to Australia and what it means to represent her country. All throughout, she has the love and support of her mum and brother. They step up when others step back and you can see that this strong family unit is a big reason why she has become the leader and sportsperson that she is today.
Many sports biographies gloss over the hard things. Sure they talk about it because it needs to be said but they don't go into it. Geva is the opposite, she pulls it apart and explains the how and the why. She also admits to her part in any issues and is not willing to shirk responsibility. It was hard reading about England Netball and their treatment of her when she wanted to improve her game. It was hard to read about the breakdown of her marriage (even though that is never easy). Her upfront nature is refreshing.
I think one of the best things to come from this book is her outright positivity for netball and for life. Her views on being a bench player and what you can offer from this position is GOLD for the kids who dream of being a superstar and remind them that every position is important and that you can learn from it. It is what you give to your team that counts and sometimes the best way to give to your team is sit on the sidelines and watch.
What a stunning career for a woman who has won many accolades. Being able to share in that story gives a much better understanding of her. When reading, it is her voice you hear in your head. The writing is so genuinely personal that you can imagine she is speaking her truth to you, and you alone.
This book is for any young person aspiring to be a professional athlete, for armchair sports people (like me) and for anyone who has a love of Netball or reading about someone who is at the top of their field.
September 8, 2022
Geva Mentor is clearly an accomplished athlete and has achieved an enormous amount. I enjoyed reading all about her journey and it's made me hungry to play more netball (a game I love). I also loved learning about netball politics between clubs and countries. It's a shame England didn't win a medal at the Commonwealth Games 2022 really, because that would have been the cherry on top for Geva. Alas it wasn't meant to be and this story ends 3 years before that defeat anyway. Still an interesting read.
This is not, however, a well-written book. So many exclamation marks. So many things were 'so cool' or 'amazing' or 'mind-blowing' that the words lost meaning. There were also lots of lapses into saying 'you' when she really means 'I'. I realise this is usually an attempt to identify common experiences or emotions with the reader, but when talking about going to a red carpet event like the SPOTY ceremony - not so much. A lot of it read like she had dictated it in a really slap dash way. Also really odd comments crept in that an editor should have cut or at least clarified. Like she's describing a man she met and just says: "He's 6ft 11in, the same height as my brother, and we've been dating for 8 months". Erm, what's the relative height of your brother got to do with the price of fish? Odd, to say the least.
It's the third consecutive book I've read by a celebrity writer who made their name outside writing and I just need read something by a real wordsmith now.
This is not, however, a well-written book. So many exclamation marks. So many things were 'so cool' or 'amazing' or 'mind-blowing' that the words lost meaning. There were also lots of lapses into saying 'you' when she really means 'I'. I realise this is usually an attempt to identify common experiences or emotions with the reader, but when talking about going to a red carpet event like the SPOTY ceremony - not so much. A lot of it read like she had dictated it in a really slap dash way. Also really odd comments crept in that an editor should have cut or at least clarified. Like she's describing a man she met and just says: "He's 6ft 11in, the same height as my brother, and we've been dating for 8 months". Erm, what's the relative height of your brother got to do with the price of fish? Odd, to say the least.
It's the third consecutive book I've read by a celebrity writer who made their name outside writing and I just need read something by a real wordsmith now.
November 23, 2019
really good book!!!!! even though she's english and beat the Aussies in the commonwealth games (angry/sad reacts only), it was great reading about her life and how difficult it's been for her and how much netball is almost neglected in Eggland.
Love how she talks about how much popularity that England Netball has gained in the recent years, it's nice that netball is blossoming in places other than Australia and NZ, making it more of a WORLD sport. This will only make netball better and get the game talked about in more circles if more countries around the world are into it (rather than just two on the same side of the world).
So glad Geva is at Collingwood now. Absolutely blessed and i hope she can play on for a few more years. Thanks for everything, Geva <3
Love how she talks about how much popularity that England Netball has gained in the recent years, it's nice that netball is blossoming in places other than Australia and NZ, making it more of a WORLD sport. This will only make netball better and get the game talked about in more circles if more countries around the world are into it (rather than just two on the same side of the world).
So glad Geva is at Collingwood now. Absolutely blessed and i hope she can play on for a few more years. Thanks for everything, Geva <3
September 30, 2020
Great to read the story of an international athelete. In additiin to Geva's personal story, reading the book gave me a better understanding of the politics behind selection for international teams and how playing in Australia fits with national squad selection. And also how atheletes have to plan ahead for their retirement.
May 12, 2025
This book is worth reading. I admit that I am not a big fan of women's sports. But netball stands out. This is a new sport and it is most popular in Africa and Asia. You can check it on this sports website - https://bd1xbetapk.com/ The life of a professional athlete is not easy. But they find strength because they know that fans support them. That's the main idea.
July 13, 2019
As a big fan of netball, Geva and memoirs, this was always going to be a winner for me. Love her honesty and the new insights into life as an elite netballer! The writing isn’t perfect and I struggled with the first couple of chapters but I was then gripped and flew through the rest of the book.
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December 1, 2019I feel like as this is an autobiography i cannot rate it. it would be like rating someone’s life and achievements which really isn’t fair.
but i will say it was enjoyable and a good read for any netball lover
but i will say it was enjoyable and a good read for any netball lover
October 29, 2020
For a massive sports fan and netball fan, this was a big tick for me. Was an insightful look at the journey of one of the worlds best. This was honest and raw and was great to get to know the human behind the athlete.
January 21, 2023
This was such an inspirational read, Geva is even more of a hero to me now and her mum is amazingly selfless.
February 26, 2023
3.5.
Not the most thrilling book but fun to have insights to England Netball.
Too many exclamation marks 🥹
Not the most thrilling book but fun to have insights to England Netball.
Too many exclamation marks 🥹
October 3, 2023
A lot of information but it’s good.
March 10, 2024
Good book- but it was quite slow and was something you could back down quite easily
October 10, 2025
Judging by the number included I think she was getting paid extra for the exclamation marks.
Interesting insights into the operating of netball but I didn’t warm to Geva.
Interesting insights into the operating of netball but I didn’t warm to Geva.
October 25, 2019
Love Geva Mentor so I knew I was going to enjoy this. I’m so impressed by her work effort and the bond she shared with her mother. Way too much about the marriage breakup for me.
May 31, 2023
I loved this autobiography so much, I’ve now read it 3 times. It gives a great insight into Geva’s career and life. A perfect book for any netballer written by an inspirational woman 🏐
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews