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Coaches are at the heart of netball, and impactful coaching shapes every player's journey. That's why we're celebrating a bumper few months of coach development across the Zone, with 14 Netball New Zealand coaching accreditations awarded between June and August.
Rob Wright spent last week where he's most at home, courtside. But this Upper North Island Secondary Schools Tournament (UNISS) carried a little extra weight as Rob prepares to finish up at Netball Northern and cross the Tasman for an Assistant Coach role with the Queensland Firebirds.
Erikana Pedersen knows the netball pathway from every angle. She came through the NZ Netball World Youth team in 2013, spent years in national development squads, pulled on the black dress for Fast5 in 2017, made her Silver Ferns debut, and played across the ANZ Premiership with the Mystics, Pulse and Tactix. She's still on court today for Harbour Opens.
Some exciting news for young people in our game. Netball Northern has secured $50,000 per year for two years through Aktive's new Rangatahi Foundation Sport Pathway Pilot Fund. We were one of just two organisations chosen from eight applicants, alongside Northern Region Football.
The Northern Zone recently hosted a Community Coach Award Workshop at Papakura Netball Centre, bringing together up to 15 coaches from across the region.
Every now and then, you have one of those weeks where you have to pinch yourself and think, “How lucky am I?” This weekend was definitely one of them.
When PIC Insurance Brokers recommitted to Netball Northern for another season, they wanted to do something with it: shine a light on the volunteers who keep community netball running. Centres across the zone answered the call, and three volunteers took out a PIC prize pack of Mystics tickets, match day vouchers and a walk through with the players.
The Netball New Zealand U18 Tournament showcased the next generation of talent, and while the scoreboard told one story, the heart, courage and determination displayed on court told another.