Three new coaches in top netball

Press, 16 April 1980, Page 16

Three new coaches in top netball

The value to the Sacred Heart senior netball teams of Brenda Rowberry was heavily underlined when the season opened on Saturday. A physical education graduate with a sound background in training techniques — she had an illustrious career as a Canterbury representative — Mrs Rowberry is

a strong believer in fitness.

She has succeeded Mrs K. Reilly as coach, and it was no surprise that Sacred Heart should lead the way, with the team narrowly beaten by its A combination, St Nicholas, in speed and staying power. Sacred Heart A has re-

tained its forward line-up, and Wendy Heta (goalshoot), and Diana Sullivan (attack) will provide formidable opposition for any defence. They enjoyed a decisive early dominance on Saturday against St Nicholas.

The latter is easily the most improved team in recent years and has the ac-

curate Ann Davidson as its main shooter, and she enjoyed probably the highest goal average at last year’s national tournament. As ever, Davidson has gone straight from tennis courts to netball courts with no apparent ill effects, and she will again be a strong force with the tried centre, Lynne McLennan. Burnside A, last year’s joint-winner, has also lost its coach, Mrs M. Snow, and her replacement is Cecilia Glenn, well-known in Southland netball circles. She has a new-look team around her, too, with four changes from last year’s basic seven; but the survivors, Adrienne Prattley and Angela. Pickering, and the defence, Wai Taumaunu, will be key players still. Burnside’s B team, though comfortably beaten by Technical in the opening round, looks stronger than usual, with more allround ■ height and experience. Canterbury’s biggest club, Burnside again has 32 teams in the various competitions. . Another,club to lose i.ts coach is Technical, this season without the busy Sue Morton, also president of the Canterbury Netball Association. Her successor is Brenda Smith.

As with Burnside A, the new coach has a new team, but one which started well enough on Saturday. The experienced Sandy Fawcett (centre) and Lyn Caughley (goalkeeper) will be vital to its progress during the seafon,

Hagley, the other side expected to produce a strong challenge, has the interesting policy of utilising' two coaches. Christine Pietzner has left the vital centre berth and is now the forward coach,

leaving the guiding of the defence to Margaret Simeonidis. They could well weld into a powerful combination.

The New Zealand players, Geane Katae and Jan Henderson, provide Hagley with strength on attack and defence respectively. Teachers’ College’s closed club policy has again cost it many players to teaching positions throughout the country, a particularly bad off-season bringing the departures of all but Kate Sullivan (moved from wing-defence to centre) and Jane Eddington (also moved, from goal-defence to wing), though beaten at the outset by Sacred Heart B, Teachers’ College is always capable of surprises.

Another team to retain only two players from last season is Riccarton, retirements and transfers taking a heavy toll. It still has the New Zealand Colts representative, Bridget Hishon, on attack, and Nicki Robinson as goal defence, most of the replacements coming from the club’s senior reserve team.

Cashmere's retention of its senior status, in the promotion - relegation match, was a useful start to the season, and it bowed the team to Hagley by only eight points. Linda Shepherd has made a welcome return to goalattack. . A new format is being tried in the senior grade this year. A complete round-robin will be played

— that involves nine rounds — and the leading six teams will then compete for the Edna Yates Rose Bowl. The bottom four teams will combine with the top two from senior reserve for another trophy.