World Champion Silver Ferns coach appointed to lead Nelson Netball

Leigh Gibbs, ONZM, Gold Medalist, and World Champion as a player and a coach for the Silver Ferns, will be the new Centre Manager for Nelson Netball Centre from early 2021.

Mrs Gibbs served as Assistant Coach for the Silver Ferns when the team won a Gold Medal at both the Commonwealth Games and the World Championships in 2003 and 2006 and a Silver Medal at the same two competitions in 2002 and 2007. She is a former Silver Ferns Captain and Vice-Captain and won the World Championships as a player in 1979 and 1987. She also coached the Mainland Tactix from 2012-2014.

Currently working in Brisbane for Netball Queensland, Leigh says the opportunity came up at the right time when she was looking to come home to New Zealand. The Nelson Netball Centre Manager role tempted her because it is a challenge she hasn’t yet taken on in her storied career.

“Nelson has one of the country’s most active netball centres with high participation rates in community netball,” Leigh says.

“It has been smartly managed and is financially stable, given the effects of COVID-19 on sport around the world. When I thought about what step I wanted to take next in my career, the idea of managing a centre where community netball was at the heart and I could oversee everything from A-Z was extremely appealing.

“I’ve been in charge of coaching, officiating, and other specific areas, but never had my hands on the big picture. With Nelson Netball Centre’s growth, high participation rates, and strong leadership, it was a perfect chance for me to put my hand up.

“Over the years I’ve been involved in netball as a player, umpire, and coach from grass roots to high performance. The sport has moved from an amateur to a professional environment and undergone significant structural, administrative, and organizational changes. With the experience and knowledge I bring from working in many levels of New Zealand and Australia, Nelson Netball Centre is poised to grow and elevate the quality of netball in this region.”

Since 2015, Leigh has worked as Director of Coaching and Officiating and as General Manager of Community and Sport Development for Netball Queensland.

“My exposure to the larger Australian system has really given me great insight into how another leading netball nation’s systems can inform best practice for the sport both locally and nationally.”

Nelson Netball Centre Board Chair Gary Cox says Nelson is fortunate to have someone of Leigh’s caliber leading the way and she is going to help Nelson become an even stronger centre within the national system.

“Leigh knows what it takes to win at all levels and how to involve the community in that effort,” Gary says. “She has been an inspiration to many players over the years. Now Nelson Tasman players, coaches, umpires, and administrators will benefit from her expertise. While she is going to increase the drive for our players to succeed at competitive levels within the sport, she is also going to contribute significantly to our community netball players and officials who find joy in just playing the sport with friends. These players are the heart of Nelson netball.”

Leigh says, “Whether it’s implementing coach and officials’ development programs, competitions, guiding teams’ performances or growing players’ love of the game, the impact of these positive influences is very rewarding for me and a strong driver for my continued involvement in netball.”

Leigh is scheduled to return to New Zealand in January when she will enter mandated quarantine facility before moving to Nelson to begin the role.

Nelson Netball Centre has thousands of affiliated and non-affiliated members from years 1 and 2 juniors right through to seniors who play competitive and social netball throughout the year at Saxton Stadium. More than 300 teams play netball across all competitions and in community netball.

Gary Cox, Chair

Nelson Netball Board

hrbrokering@gmail.com

021 548 273