Netball Australia has restructured the Australian Diamonds coaching staff to provide local ANZ Championship coaches with hands-on development opportunities over the next twelve months.
Short term coaching opportunities will be provided to all five Australian ANZ Championship head coaches, at different times, to support Australian Diamonds coach Lisa Alexander and specialist shooting coach Marg Caldow during camps and international tours.
Melbourne Vixens coach Simone McKinnis and Queensland Firebirds coach Roselee Jencke will be the first to join the Australian Diamonds in Support/Specialist Coach roles during the upcoming Constellation Cup series against the New Zealand Silver Ferns in October.
Jencke will travel with the Diamonds to New Zealand for the first two Tests in Christchurch (October 20) and Auckland (October 22) before McKinnis joins the team for the remaining two Tests in Melbourne (October 25) and Perth (October 30).
The retirement of Michelle den Dekker from the Australian Diamonds Assistant Coach role following Netball World Cup SYDNEY 2015, to take up her position as head coach of the Adelaide Thunderbirds, provided Netball Australia with a chance to review the coaching structure.
“One of the things that is clear is that some of Australia’s best coaching talent already resides within the ANZ Championship teams and where possible we want to tap into this expertise for the benefit of the Diamonds program and for the athletes involved in the program,” Netball Australia’s Head of High Performance Andrew Collins said.
“There is also a potential benefit for the ANZ coaches who will be exposed to a different environment that may help with their own development as a coach and may stimulate their coaching back in their own ANZ teams.”
“One of the great strengths of the Diamonds program and a key contributor to our recent World Cup success is the integration of the program with ANZ Championship teams,” Collins said.
“We strongly believe that the closer engagement of coaching staff from ANZ Championship teams in the program will continue to build on this integration for benefit of both parties and the athletes.”
The Australian Diamonds are back on court when they contest a four-Test Constellation Cup series against the New Zealand Silver Ferns, beginning in Christchurch on Tuesday 20 October. Tickets for the Melbourne (October 25) and Perth (October 30) are now available from Ticketek.
Purchase online at www.ticketek.com.au, phone 132 849 or any Ticketek outlet.
