WBOP Zone Coach Development Update #1 2025
Kia ora koutou katoa, e ngā kaitohutohu me ngā Kaiako
Welcome to our first coach update of the year.
It is always a pleasure reconnecting with you all as we kick off another year of growing, learning and supporting each other in the coaching space. One thing is clear already – there is no shortage of passion, energy and dedication across our Centres. In fact, it is becoming harder and harder to capture all the incredible mahi happening out in our zone. What a joy it has been seeing and hearing about your ongoing efforts to empower coaches in your communities.
January – March
A group of lucky coaches had the chance to observe some of Aotearoa’s best Secondary School players as well as NNZ Secondary School Head Coach Jo Morrison up close and in action at the NNZ National Development Camp. What an inspiring way to start the year.Aimee Te Whata and Kim Hunt spent a brilliant (and very hot!) day at Te Awamutu College, delivering three CCA1 workshops to a fantastic crew of engaged and enthusiastic coaches. Ngā mihi nui to all who attended.
Something very special unfolded as Netball NZ duo Leigh Gibbs and Tania Karauria, Netball Northern Coach Lead Tania Heap and WBOP Coach Lead Kim Hunt co-hosted a Composite Coach Qualification (CCQ) Weekend; a high-level development space designed for former Franchise and Silver Fern players stepping into coaching, alongside selected zone coaches with 10+ years of experience.
With coaching royalty like Leigh Gibbs, Tania Karauria, Rob Wright, Tia Winikerei, MJ Araroa, and many more sharing their wisdom, the weekend was rich in insight, growth, and inspiration.
Huge congratulations and thanks to our WBOP Zone coaches who attended: Kat Levien, Erena Mikaere, Samantha Winders, Te Ahuru Waititi, Leigh Ashton, Rebecca Greenhalgh.
Opening Doors and Sharing Spaces
Our Coaches in the Making programme continues to offer fantastic access to high-performance environments, with participants attending closed Magic trainings and training games.
In addition, all Centre Coaches have been invited again to observe SHNL trainings – another exciting opportunity to learn from top-level coaches and athletes in action.
Welcoming New Centre Coach Developers
We are thrilled to welcome three new Centre Coach Developers to our whānau, each bringing fresh energy and local insight to their communities:
- Haylee Trangmar – Otorohanga
- Marama Tahapehi – Tokoroa
- Shannon Chandler – Te Aroha
Nau mai, haere mai, we are excited to have you all on board.
Learning Online and On the Road
Our Year 1–8 coaches recently enjoyed a lively online workshop series over three nights with the ever-wonderful WBOP Coach Developer Karen Aulelio – lots of valuable kōrero and ideas were shared.
Leigh Ashton, Sam Winders and Kim Hunt had a long roadie but well worth it to connect with our Gisborne Netball Centre whanau, Whitiora Tairāwhiti team, and Gizzy local Leigh Gibbs. Well done to Moni for a moving tribute that acknowledged former Representative teams which opened their engaging Rep Day where there were lots of rich learning moments for coaches and players.
Collaboration in Action at Netball Whakatane
A big shout out to Netball Whakatane’s committee for working in partnership with their awesome Rep coaches and the Zone team to deliver another fantastic Rep Mana Day. The day offered something for everyone – from players and parents to managers and coaches – including NetballSmart support, player pathway updates, and the newly released NNZ Crafting Your Coaching workshop, which is packed with fresh, relevant content for developing secondary school coaching skills.
Resources to Explore
- NEW: Netball NZ Crafting Your Coaching Resource
- UPDATED: Netball NZ Coach Diary – PDF now available on the WBOP Coaches Padlet
Helpful Links:
If you have questions, ideas, or want to connect, don’t hesitate to reach out:Kim.Hunt@netballwbop.co.nz
Let’s keep sharing the stories, celebrating the wins, and growing together. Here’s to an exciting year ahead.
Ngā mihi mahana,
Kim Hunt
Article by: Kim Hunt, WBOP Zone Coach Lead
Article added: Sunday 25 May 2025
