Dame Noeline ponders pathway after Silver Ferns

Dame Noeline Taurua has started to think about her pathway after her Silver Ferns’ coaching tenure ends and it could well involve more coaching.

Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Doors are already starting to open for the popular coach, with Dame Noeline named as one of four new members appointed to the board of High Performance Sport New Zealand.

Dame Noeline’s current contract as Silver Ferns’ coach runs until the end of the 2023 Netball World Cup.

She hasn’t decided if she will call it a day when that contract ends and probably won’t make any decisions until after the world cup.

“I think there’s always, you know it’s not until you actually end that you can put the nail in and know that you’re done,” Dame Noeline said.

It’s a vocation that runs through her veins so she wouldn’t rule out coaching an ANZ Premiership team or taking up other coaching opportunities.

“I haven’t taken that out of my thinking at all and if anything I’m always quite open to what does present. For example, even this opportunity on the board was something that I would never have thought I would have gone into this early.

“I do commit once I do sign on the dotted line to anything that I put my mind to but also keep myself open to other things. And I definitely won’t take myself out of the picture because coaching is in my blood and I love being on the floor and working with athletes so we’ll see what happens when it needs to happen.”

Whatever happens, Dame Noeline said she had been working behind the scenes with Netball New Zealand on succession planning around the next head coach.

“We’ve been doing that for the last two or three years, working closely with the ANZ coaches so it’s not only been about the athletes but also the coaches so whoever takes over after me at least there’s an understanding around the skill-sets. So we’ll take it when it comes to that end but definitely we’ve got plans in place afterwards.

“There is a time that I would have to transition out and somebody else coming in.”

Dame Noeline Taurua was named the 2019 Coach of the Year at the 57th Halberg Awards.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Dame Noeline said ensuring there was playing and coaching depth in the system was important to her.

“Hence when I look at the depth that’s currently happening, we’ve got quite a few positions now, especially when we get to Netball World Cup where they will be very competitive by the time we get to trials.

“For me that’s the same regards coaches it’s my job while I’m currently in there that I make sure that we develop and grow the next coach underneath, that there’s resources put around them so irrelevant of whether I stay or go that there’s that next level coming through. I just feel that’s part of my role and my job and I really enjoy that part of it.”

Four-time Olympic shot put medallist Dame Valerie Adams, former Paralympian Duane Kale and former Black Sox player and coach Don Tricker have also been appointed to the board of High Performance Sport New Zealand.

Dame Noeline said she was excited about sitting around a table with such talented people.

“I’m really honoured to be approached but also to be appointed. There’s always a bit of a process that you have to go through so it’s great to be finalised.

“To work with esteemed people within our high performance sport and then everybody who has that same intent of making ourselves better and also celebrating how well New Zealand already does in our sporting scene, so it’s going to be cool.”

Dame Noeline said she could take a lot from what she had learned in the Silver Ferns’ environment into the role.

“For example working with females, working with ladies who are pregnant and also the planning that needs to be done prior and post to get them back out on court. Even around our leadership programme and women in general I think is definitely areas that I can assist in.

“I’ve been through the pathway from grass roots right through to where I am now. I think an added bonus is that I’ve been in the Australian system so understand what a high performance environment looks like over there so you’ve got probably to some degree some contrasting ideas.”

Dame Noeline Taurua and Caitlin Bassett after winning Australia’s Suncorp Super Netball title in 2018 with the Sunshine Coast Lightning.
Photo: DCimages | Daniel Carson / Photosport

As Silver Ferns coach she has to be meticulous around the planning that goes into building towards pinnacle events and enjoys the strategic side of it.

“I think that’s one of my strengths is planning and also strategy and it’s something that I’m really passionate about.

“I’m also passionate about the integration of systems and ensuring you know when you look at resources everybody is tight on money especially coming out of the Covid times but how strategically that you can you set up so there’s different levels that are improving or that are still developing and growing.

“Also I think from grass roots that’s really important and ensuring at world class we remain at the top.”

Dame Noeline has collaborated with coaches from other sports several times over her career.

“I feel being hands on and on the ground at the moment I have an understanding and also established relationships and networks with people from other sports so those are things once again that I would like to take into this role and see what I can actually do to help and improve our current system.”

HPSNZ Board chair Bill Moran said all four appointees are internationally renowned and bring deep expertise in the areas of player and coach development, talent development, paralympic pathways, well-being, as well as long-term experience in the high performance system.

The four new directors fill vacant positions on the board, which will now have a full complement of 10 members.