When they aren’t making life difficult for Netball Super League shooters, the pair can be found down the lanes alongside housemate Brie Grierson or at the spa to unwind from the pressures of elite netball.
It is just part of how the duo have continued to build on a flourishing defensive partnership that has been the foundations on which Nottingham Forest have built their strong start to the 2026 season.
Chelsea Pitman’s side are well-placed for a tilt at the top four despite two defeats in a row to fellow challengers London Pulse and AO Manchester Thunder and Pavelin believes her team’s bond off court is only strengthening their telepathy on it.
“I love playing with Jay,” said Pavelin. “Coming from Bath together, we were both looking for a new team to play for and we were messaging every day.
“We were keen to go somewhere together and keep that connection, so we were really happy that Forest gave us that opportunity.
“It has been amazing to keep that connection growing. We are getting to the point sometimes where we know what the other needs without saying it. I am just looking forward to seeing that grow more and more.
“We spend a lot of time together, both on and off the court, but it is really nice.
“We all get on really well and it is nice to have that space to come back to together. It makes us closer on the court being so close off it. You get to know each other on a deeper level, but the team in general is really close.
“We do chat a lot of netball in the house, but we try and do other stuff away from that. We have got in the habit of going bowling quite a lot. We go to the spa for a bit of downtime.
“Jayda is the best at bowling. I was the worst for a while, but I’d say I have improved a bit. I had the barriers up for my first bowl, but they took the mick out of me, so I had to have barriers down.”
The strength of their partnership has been seen on court, with both players boasting strong numbers. Pechova leads the league in gains, with 31, while only Sanmarie Visser has more pick-ups than Pavelin’s 10.
Pavelin was also named Experience Kissimmee Player of the Match after Forest’s opening round victory over London Mavericks and is thrilled to be playing with full confidence at a club she now calls home.
“Being part of this team has helped me a lot, I feel very supported by the players around me,” she added.
“I don’t have to worry about anything else. I am happy playing netball and that brings out your best performances.
“I was a bit apprehensive about the move up, I had been in Bath for eight years. It was a big move for me but listening to Chelsea and what she wanted to do with the team, finding out who else was going to be there, that was a big pull for me.
“I absolutely love it. I love the area, I like that there’s a bit more going on and I get on really well with all the girls. It feels like home and it felt like that really quickly.”
Pavelin’s confidence is unsurprising given the way Forest have started the season, and the focus is now on converting their strong opening into a first-ever top-four finish.
The 27-year-old credits the support of the club as key to the relatively new franchise being able to challenge so quickly and hopes to be able to experience the roar of the crowd at this summer’s Soft & Gentle Grand Final at the Co-op Live as a result.
“Being able to prioritise netball and my performance, rather than trying to juggle that with a full-time job, has been really nice,” she said.
“Being connected to a club like Forest has elevated that even more so with the facilities they have in place and the staff crossover.
“We have confidence going into each game that we are going to win, and that’s a real step forward.
“Our goal at the start of the season was always to be making top four, pushing for that final. As a group, we all really believe that we deserve to be in that top four, pushing for the Grand Final and pushing for the title.
“We all love playing out there in front of a crowd, when the noise is so loud you can barely hear yourself on court, that’s the best feeling in the world. We are all hoping we will be in the final and will have people cheering for us.”
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