McDonald making change as netball league's first club sustainability officer

By Milly McEvoy, Sportsbeat

As LexisNexis Cardiff Dragons battle on the court, Elle McDonald is fighting the good fight off it.

The mid-courter works as the Welsh franchise’s sustainability officer to help those around her make informed choices and protect the planet. McDonald took on the role ahead of the 2025 season and has been involved across several initiatives.

“I’ve got a new role at Cardiff Dragons as the sustainability officer, which involves being an advocate among the players and our wider community to really make greener choices,” she said. “And how we can take steps forward in that sustainability space. I have a background in teaching back at home, so it is quite different for me to have come across this role.

“But at the end of last year, I was speaking to quite a few people within our franchise and they felt really passionately about the sustainability space, and they wanted to come up with a role that would allow a player to really advocate for that. It is something that is important to me, but it should be important to everyone, so I am really proud to step into that space and really try and encourage not only our team, but across the league, all those small changes that can ultimately have a really big impact.”

Dragons were part of history last weekend as they and London Mavericks played the first extra-time period in Netball Super League history. The game ended 55-55 after 60 minutes before Mavericks pulled away to take the game 72-61.

It means the team in green are still searching for their maiden win of the season and face new side Birmingham Panthers for the first time on Friday. For McDonald, her performances on the court are fuelled by the choices she makes off it.

She added: “As athletes, there are so many of those things that we really value, including obviously our health and wellbeing. Reducing those environmental toxins will make us feel mentally and physically better, but something that we are really focused on is sustainable travel.

“We are encouraging our fans to travel sustainably, whether it is catching public transport, walking, cycling, or carpooling to our events. We want to make sure we are encouraging that. Also, with our food choices, as athletes, that is so important for us and our performance.

“But how can we make sure we are supporting local and organic farms and reducing those transportation emissions. It is just a small thing that we can consider doing that will make a big impact. We’ve teamed up with Grassboots, which is a preloved sports gear app.

"We are hoping to build on the Cardiff Dragons community so people can sell or buy pre-loved sports equipment to help them get involved in sport, but also chose to donate any money to local charities. That is something we have been working on as well as some litter picks around the city.

“We are trying to make small changes when we can and hopefully influence our fan base and community to do the same.”

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