Former Silver Fern and iconic Canterbury netballer Julie Seymour has been named head coach of the Mainland National Netball League team.
The National Netball League (NNL) sits directly below the ANZ Premiership with six teams around the country, and serves as an important pathway for players and coaches to the elite level.
Seymour, who is also assistant coach of The Good Oil Tactix, will lead a group of 16 players through the competition which gets underway on 18 April.
“I am very excited to have the opportunity to work with this group of up-and-coming athletes in the Mainland region,” she said.
“We were very impressed with the standard of players that trialled this year and we are confident that we have selected a group of young athletes who have the potential to be Tactix players in the next 2-5 years.
“Being involved in the Tactix programme as well, allows me to get a clear picture of what I am preparing the younger athletes for. It also allows Marianne and I to align both programmes.”
The Good Oil Tactix head coach Marianne Delaney-Hoshek said it was exciting to have Seymour working across both programmes.
“We are really excited that Julie will be leading this programme for 2021. It means we can align the programmes and can have a seamless transition from one team to the next.
The Good Oil Tactix General Manager Haidee Stratford also congratulated Seymour on her appointment.
“We are well positioned with this coaching team to test and mould these developing players as we look to create more home grown Tactix players for the future.”