Top netballers turn to coaching after playing careers

Australia's top netballers are increasingly turning to a career in coaching with more professional coaching opportunities than ever before.

The number of coaching positions continues to increase as the game becomes more professional, allowing the former greats to stay involved in the game they love and give back to future generations.

Four of the five head coaches of the Australian-based ANZ Championship franchises have played for Australia at some stage through their playing careers and are now transferring their knowledge into new roles.

West Coast Fever's Norma Plummer (16 Test caps) was a successful coach of the Australian Diamonds while Melbourne Vixens' Simone McKinnis (63 Test caps) spent a few years as head coach of the Singapore Sports School Netball Academy before returning to Melbourne.

Firebirds coach Roselee Jencke will long be remembered for her role in Australia's triumphant 1991 World Netball Championships campaign and has since become the first coach to guide her side to an undefeated ANZ Championship premiership in 2010 while NSW Swifts coach Lisa Beehag made 25 Test appearances for Australia between 1987 and 1989.

Many former Australian players hold asssitant and specialist coaching roles with ANZ Championship and Australian Netball League teams.

Last week Netball New Zealand appointed former Australian captain and Queensland Firebirds coach Vicki Wilson (104 Test caps) to the Silver Ferns coaching panel.

It's indicative of the modern trends in other sports - particularly football, cricket, basketball and rugby union - where coaches are prepared to move countries for opportunities to further their careers.

The number of assistants and other specialist coaches on the ANZ Championship panels is growing season by season.

There are now High Performance Managers, development coaches and Talent Identification Officers on the payrolls of state associations.

More and more, players are starting to undertake their coaching accreditation long before they are even considering hanging up their Asics.

Several of the current Australian Diamonds squad is already actively involved in coaching through running clinics for young, up-and-coming netballers.

In Queensland, former Diamonds star and Firebirds captain Lauren Nourse (25 Test caps) has taken the first step towards her post-playing career.

Nourse, who retired at the end of last season, recently took charge of Queensland's Elite Development Squad along with former Firebirds teammate Keirra Trompf for a couple of matches in their state league competition.

Nourse said she travelled to Papua New Guinea in 2012 to do some work with their 21/U squad and has also helped out with a couple of Queensland's State League teams.

The primary school teacher said she would love one day to combine her passion for teaching and netball into a permanent coaching role.

Nourse explains "I've learnt so much as a player from so many coaches that I had over my career.

"Norma Plummer was an amazing coach to me and I use so many of the skills and drills she had to help young players.

"I've been lucky that I've had a wide range of coaching experience already. I have a basic level of (coaching) accreditation as all ANZ Championship players would but I have been looking into it (doing more).

"In the next couple of years (I would like to look at coaching) and I think having a teaching degree will help me with that; it's hard to walk away completely from netball.

"I think players have a lot of respect for coaches that have played the game."

Former Australian goal shooter Eloise Southby-Halbish (34 Test caps) is now High Performance Manager at Netball Victoria and also an assistant coach at the Vixens.

During her playing days, Southby-Halbish worked in public relations. But she's always had an interest in coaching and wanted to explore what opportunities were available in that area once

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