Aliyah Zaranyika

Current and Previous Roles: England and Professional Super League Netball Player and Royal Holloway Law and Politics graduate.

Keynote: Aliyah shares her journey as a neurodivergent athlete, discussing how her late diagnoses of autism and ADHD helped her understand her challenges. She advocates for greater awareness of neurodiversity in sports, emphasising inclusion, support, and challenging stereotypes, in order for neurodivergent individuals to thrive.

Aliyah Zaranyika Netball

Aliyah Zaranyika’s Bio

Aliyah is a netball player for both England and Birmingham Panthers, having played the sport since primary school. Netball has been central to her life, helping her navigate social interactions, build lasting relationships, and form enduring friendships. The transition to senior elite netball and moving to a new school in 2019 marked a significant change in her life. While netball provided support during this transition, it wasn’t until she was diagnosed with ASD and ADHD three years later that she fully understood the underlying causes of her struggles.

On her journey of self-discovery and acceptance, Aliyah is committed to raising awareness and understanding of neurodiversity, particularly within sports environments. She advocates for diversity, inclusion, and belonging, aiming to challenge misconceptions and stereotypes while highlighting the importance of intersectionality. Her experiences as a netballer have allowed her to challenge unconscious bias, including participating in panels such as Enstar’s Black History Month and contributing to workshops on supporting neurodiverse athletes. Aliyah hopes to show that with the right support, neurodivergent athletes are valuable assets to any team. She currently plays in the Netball Superleague and represents England at the senior international level in the Future Roses programme for 2024/25. Aliyah has also earned a degree in Law with Politics and is pursuing a Master in Law at the University of Hertfordshire.

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