Earlier in the year, we celebrated the selection of the following 5 Northern Zone Centre leaders to join the 3-day Netball New Zealand Centre Leaders Residential:
- Kerikeri Netball Centre – Sarah Couling
- Whangārei Netball Centre – Keri Clendon
- Netball Waitākere – Murray Gardiner
- Howick Pakuranga Netball Centre – Deearna Buxton
- Papakura Netball Centre – Heather Te Rure
The collaborative experience was supported by Netball New Zealand, Sport New Zealand and the five Netball Zones. The programme brought together Centre leaders to connect, share challenges, and learn from one another as they work to strengthen sport in their communities.
Throughout the Residential, participants took part in a series of impactful workshops focused on influencing and leading change, using insights to drive better participant experiences, and wellbeing. These sessions challenged leaders to think differently about how sport is delivered and provided practical tools to support meaningful change and impact.
A major component of the programme required each leader to develop and present a project they will undertake at their Centre. For our Northern Zone representatives, key themes emerging from these projects included enhancing volunteer management, elevating youth voice in decision-making, and improving facility and participation access.
Reflecting on the experience, Keri Clendon, General Manager at Whangārei Netball Centre, shared “It was incredible to connect with other Centre leaders who are navigating many of the same challenges. The sessions created a space for genuine learning, collaboration, and reflection. I really valued the opportunity to progress a project for our Centre and receive constructive feedback from both facilitators and peers.”
We extend a huge thank you to Netball New Zealand, Sport New Zealand and the incredible facilitators for delivering such a valuable and future-focused Residential. More information and next steps will be shared by Netball New Zealand soon.
