Coaching

Our vision is to provide opportunity for volunteers to take part in Netball throughout the Central Zone. We want everyone in the Central Zone regardless of age, background or level of ability to feel able to engage in our sport

Do you want to:

• Support your kids?
• Give something back to the game?
• Contribute to your local community?
• Enhance your work prospects?
• Help others succeed?
• Develop skills such as leadership, communication and teamwork?
• Do something rewarding while spending time with friends?
• Enable people to be active and gain fitness?

If the answer is YES to any of the above, becoming a Netball Volunteer could be for you!

What do Netball Volunteers do?

Many volunteers coach, manage, umpire, officiate or administrate for a Club, School or Centre. Others are involved in governance or specific projects or helping out with one-off events or tournaments.

How can I find out more?

In the first instance you can contact your local Netball Centre please find the contacts for each Centre here

Alternatively, you can contact the Zone
Stuart Savage (Community Netball Manager) 04 387 6037 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Other contacts that you may find useful are Sport New Zealand and your local Regional Sports Trust here are contacts and services for you to access:

Sport New Zealand

Sport Hawkes Bay

Sport Wellington

Sport Wanganui

Sport Manawatu

Sport Taranaki

Managing volunteers

Alternatively, if you are managing volunteers in a programme or at an event you can find a guide to volunteer management here

Silver Ferns Squad

2023-2024

• Whitney Souness
• Kelly Jury
• Maddy Gordon
• Tiana Metuarau
• Amelia Walmsley

2022-2023

• Kelly Jury
• Maddy Gordon
• Whitney Souness

2021-2022

• Ameliaranne Ekenasio
• Claire Kersten
• Maddy Gordon
• Kelly Jury

Silver Ferns Development Squad

2023-2024

• Fa'amu Ioane
• Parris Mason

2022-2023

• Kristiana Manu'a
• Tiana Metuarau

2021-2022

• Paris Lokotui
• Whitney Souness

NZ U21

2023 - Squad 

• Amelia Walmsley
• Sarah Guiney
• Phoenix Schwalger
• Madison Thomas
• Rachel Price

2022

• Caitlin O'Sullivan
• Parris Mason

New Zealand Secondary School Squad

2023

• Phoenix Schwalger
• Sarah Guiney
• Zara Feaunati
• Sovaia Sabutu
• Zoe Elliott

2022

• Kahlia Awa
• Sarah Guiney
• Madison Thomas
• Phoenix Schwalger

2021

• Kahlia Awa 
• Madison Thomas 
• Rachel Price 
• Temalesi Rayasi 
• Torren Isaako
• Zalika (Lili) Clarke 

NNZ has developed a series of player profiles to better understand New Zealand’s athlete pool and to identify and address those athlete’s development needs.

NCZ has adapted these player profiles to provide maximum effectiveness in our zone.

• In the Pulse and Beko programmes, our focus will be on producing proficient and advanced athletes who can win their respective domestic competitions;
• In the NZSS identification and development programme, where the lead is shared between NCZ and the centres, our focus will be on producing competent athletes who dominate NZSS selections;
• All our centre age grade representative programmes will move from novice to developing player profile standards and our centre age grade representative teams will achieve top four placings at national events

We will support our centres to assess our athletes using the adapted player profiles. We will achieve this by developing and distributing appropriate resources and inducting centre volunteers and staff in how to use them.

We will also work with centres to provide support for those athletes we identify. We will also work with centres to help them support their identified athletes to enter and progress through the NCZ pathway, with the ultimate goal of being selected into NNZ programmes.

Figure 5 below summarises the NCZ player profile performance standards at each level of performance. The following key (Figure 4) explains the assessment terminology used.

Key - NCZ Player Profile Performance Standards

NCZ Player Profile Performance Standards

NCZ Player Development Programme

The NCZ player development programme is an identification and development programme that provides fitness testing, feedback, sport science education and some programme support for promising secondary school players during the off season. It is designed to prepare participants for the NNZ National Development Camp and the upcoming secondary school season.

There are 2 components of the NCZ Player Development Programme as stated below:

1. NCZ PULSE Age Group Tournament
2. NCZ PULSE Advanced Camp

The above programmes are implemented by all Centres in the Zone with NCZ and the Netball New Zealand (NNZ) National Development Camp (NDC) is implemented by Netball New Zealand.

NNZ’s performance pathway is a centrally driven, targeted approach to athlete identification and development wherein individuals are assessed and benchmarked against the NNZ player profile and based on their identified potential, move into one of two streams, the NNZ Silver Ferns Development Programme or a Zone/Centre Development Programme.

In the pathway below NNZ is responsible for the Silver Ferns, the Silver Ferns development squads and the national talent identification programmes. Competition performance measures occur in international competition.

CNZ is responsible for franchise, zone and centre performance programmes. CNZ will implement a zone pathway that feeds the national pathway to Silver Fern representation. Our competition performance measures will occur in domestic competition.

Player Development Pathway

NNZ’s player development pathway is outlined below.

NNZ Performance Pathway

CNZ player development will occur through four programmes with different delivery mechanisms. The Pulse and Beko programmes will be centrally driven by NCZ; the leadership and implementation of the New Zealand Secondary School (NZSS) identification and development programme will be shared between centres and NCZ; and all age grade representative programmes will be centre led with support from NCZ.

The following diagram shows the pathway of a NCZ athlete from identification at under 15 through to Pulse representation.

CNZ Performance Pathway

The National Netball League is fundamental to strengthening Netball New Zealand’s performance pathway, the development of talent, and competitiveness of Netball New Zealand’s elite teams.

Central Manawa National Netball League programme

The NCZ Central Manawa programme is a periodised, performance netball programme that runs from a pre-season start in September to the end of competition in June the following year. This programme is led, developed and implemented by NCZ. 

The programme commences with a selection of a wider training squad from NCZ Super Zone club competition and centre nominations of appropriately skilled players to attend a one-day screening session. 

The programme will commence with a selection process led by NCZ Head of Selectors, Aroha Marsh with NCZ High Performance Director, Waimarama Taumaunu, Performance Manager, Pelesa Semu and in consultation with Central Pulse Head Coach, Yvette McCausland-Durie and Central Manawa Beko Head Coach, Anna Andrews-Tasola.

At this session NCZ selectors will decide which athletes will participate in the Central Manawa pre-season training programme.  All participating athletes will receive a completed NCZ player profile detailing their achievement against NNZ standards.  

Successful athletes will form the Central Manawa pre-season wider training squad.   These athletes will be provided strength and conditioning programmes and individualised support to help them prepare for Central Manawa trials.  Monitoring of the Central Manawa wider training squad will occur at regular intervals during the pre-season from September to January.

At any time during the pre-season and before the final Central Manawa trial players may be added and/or de-selected.  Performance, potential and attitude will all be considered when making decisions about selection and de-selection.

Following Central Manawa trials, a training squad of approximately 16 players will be named and these athletes will embark upon a weekly training regime comprising at least 2 netball practices, 2 supervised conditioning sessions, 2 supervised strength sessions and a minimum of 60 minutes of game play per week.  Netball practices will take place in Wellington, so athletes must be prepared to travel to and from every practice or re-locate.

Central Manawa players and staff will play a stronger role in Pulse succession planning over the next three years.  Player selections will continue to prioritise Pulse potential as a selection criterion and the programme will continue to strive to produce one contracted player per year.  Coaching and management staff will be appointed with a view to growing the pool of Pulse ready coaches and managers in the Zone.

We will also explore what playing and other netball opportunities we could offer to Central Manawa players who do not achieve a Pulse contract in any given year.  We are mindful that each year we have lost Central Manawa players to other franchises because we have re-signed the majority of our youthful Pulse team and therefore have not had contract openings for the next tier of talented players in our Zone.  Such opportunities would include, but not be limited to, increasing the number of training partners, having 12 on the bench at all home games and participation in pre-season competition.    

Central Manawa

National Netball League 

The NCZ Central Manawa programme is a periodised, performance netball programme that runs from a pre-season start in September to the end of competition in July the following year. This programme is led, developed and implemented by NCZ. 

The programme commences with the selection of a wider training squad from NCZ Centre club competitions and Centre nominations of appropriately skilled players, who participate in the Central Manawa pre-season training programme.  Players are selected through a variety of mechanisms –

• Observations by the Head of Selectors take place at NCZ Open tournaments;
• Observations also take place in players local competitions;
• Centres may nominate players to the squad;
• Current squad members who wish to play NNL in the following year, are automatically included;
• Any player who has recently arrived in our Zone for employment and/or education reasons, may also be included.

These athletes are provided strength and conditioning programmes and individualised support to help them prepare for Central Manawa trials in the New Year.  Monitoring of the Central Manawa wider training squad occurs at regular intervals during the pre-season from September to January.

At any time during the pre-season and before the final Central Manawa trial players may be added and/or de-selected.  Performance, potential and attitude will all be considered when making decisions about selection and de-selection.

The final Central Manawa squad is selected at a trial day in January and announced within one week of selection.  All squad athletes receive a completed NCZ player profile detailing their achievement against NNZ standards. 

The Central Manawa training squad will comprise approximately 16 players and these athletes will embark upon a weekly training regime comprising at least 2 netball practices, 2 supervised conditioning sessions, 2 supervised strength sessions and a minimum of 60 minutes of game play per week.  Netball practices will take place in Wellington, so athletes must be prepared to travel to and from every practice or re-locate.

Each athlete completes an individual performance plan (IPP), which reflects her on and off court needs.  We use this plan to assist the athlete to enhance both her life and netball performances. Standards are measured and monitored against NNZ national performance guidelines and protocols including recommendations around load management for younger athletes.

Central Manawa players and staff are part of the Pulse succession planning.  Player selections prioritise Pulse potential as a selection criterion and the programme strives to produce one contracted player per year.  Coaching and management staff are appointed with a view to growing the pool of Pulse ready coaches and managers in the Zone.  We are also mindful that succession takes place over time and so we aim to retain at least half of our squad from year to year.

We also explore other playing and netball opportunities we could offer to Central Manawa players who do not achieve a Pulse contract in any given year.  We are mindful that each year we have lost Central Manawa players to other franchises because we have re-signed most of our youthful Pulse team and therefore have not had contract openings for the next tier of talented players in our Zone.  Such opportunities would include, but not be limited to, increasing the number of training partners, having 12 on the bench at all home games and participation in pre-season competition.   

Vision

To maintain our position as the pre-eminent netball zone in the country over the next four years by continuing to achieve consistent and regular success at every level of the game, from international campaigns to domestic age group tournaments. 

Guiding Principles

Netball Central Zone's (NCZ) approach to performance development is player centred, coach lead and system wide. 

We believe that a world class netballer comprises four essential elements – hauora, physical, technical and tactical; and our performance system reflects our commitment to the development of the whole person, not just the netball player. 

Our promise to every netballer who enters our high performance system at any level is simple – you will emerge a better player and enjoy a range of netball experiences.  We tailor approaches to the needs of the individual; we deliver excellent coaching to all our players; and we undertake multiple community engagements to keep our netballers grounded in their communities and respectful of the wider team behind them.

Our promise to our Zone netball whanau is that our system will produce young women whose on and off court exploits will make us all proud.  And in this way, NCZ aims to deliver a high performance system that produces future Silver Ferns, who win as Pulse players, and who connect and inspire our Zone through their activities on and off the court. 

Figure 1.  Essential Elements of a Silver Fern

Staff