On Sunday 13th July, the Centre Connect Hui brought together centre leaders, coaches, and community champions from across the Netball Northern Zone for a powerful day of reflection, growth, and action.
Hosted by the Northern Zone team, the hui focused on two major themes: understanding unconscious bias in sport and embedding a positive sporting culture through the Love Their Game initiative.
The Human Element: Dr. Michael L on Bias, Leadership, and Complexity
The hui kicked off with a thought-provoking session led by Dr. Michael L, a behavioural scientist and defence strategist who also holds Netball NZ Community Coach Level 1 and 2 qualifications. Drawing from his experiences in Afghanistan, the All-Blacks environment, and sports leadership globally, Michael challenged attendees to consider how unconscious bias shapes decision-making—particularly in coaching, team selections, and leadership.
Michael explored key concepts such as:
- Confirmation Bias – favouring information that supports existing beliefs.
- Anchoring Bias – over-relying on initial impressions (e.g., favouring taller players).
- Framing and Affinity Biases – how language and relationships influence our judgments.
“In complex systems like sport, we often think we have control—but it’s people, relationships, and context that drive outcomes,” he said.
Using real-world examples and netball-specific scenarios, the group discussed how bias can subtly impact player selection and interactions. The session emphasised the need for psychological safety in teams—where all players feel valued, heard, and empowered.
Love Their Game: Karen Ross Champions Culture Change
Following the deep dive into bias, Karen Ross led a vibrant session on the Love Their Game movement—a campaign focused on creating supportive, inclusive sideline and coaching cultures for Tamariki.
Rooted in the principles of Good Sports and Balance is Better, Love Their Game encourages adults to shift from performance pressure to development-focused support.
Karen shared practical, low-resource ideas already being used across centres:
- Positive Sideline Walls – where tamariki write messages they want to hear from whānau.
- Champion Cards – given to supporters and players demonstrating encouragement and respect.
- Social Media Highlights – using familiar community faces to promote positive behaviour.
- Parent Cue Cards – prompting questions like “Did you have fun today?” instead of “Did you win?”
“This isn’t about policing behaviour—it’s about shifting mindsets,” Karen said. “The way we speak to our kids before, during, and after a game has a huge impact.”
She emphasised that language matters: even casual phrases like “my players” or pre-selecting trialists can unintentionally reinforce exclusion or bias. The aim is to foster environments where every player feels safe, supported, and inspired.
Karen also highlighted that Love Their Game is a multi-sport initiative, supported across codes like rugby, hockey, and water polo through Aktive, making it easier for whānau to hear consistent, constructive messaging.
A Shared Call to Action
Both sessions delivered a shared message: creating better sporting environments starts with awareness and intent. Whether it’s reducing bias in trials or championing positive sideline behaviour, everyone has a role to play—from coaches and selectors to parents and supporters.
Attendees left the hui energised and equipped with practical tools to create more inclusive, empowering spaces for young players. Plans are already underway to embed these learnings into upcoming seasons across the Northern Zone.
As Anita Nowell, from Ka Pai Butterfly said, “It's always wonderful to gather with a wide range of other Centre's & upskill together, especially on game day. The group work was a valuable opportunity to learn other perspectives. Many thanks to Netball Northern for hosting a wonderful afternoon of connection within our zone”.
