Pelesa Semu and Jo Morrison will spearhead the return of the New Zealand Secondary Schools (NZSS) team to competitive campaign mode in 2023 after being appointed to coach the cream of the country’s young talent.
Following a difficult two years due to Covid and a resulting lack of opportunity for school players, the experienced Semu (Central) steps up from the assistant’s role she has held for two years to become the head coach.
Former Silver Ferns shooter Morrison (South) assumes the assistant coach’s role.
Semu has an extensive coaching career across all age-groups in the high performance environment, including U18 Wellington coach, St Mary’s College Senior A team, Pulse assistant coach and Central Manawa National Netball League (NNL) coach.
Morrison is the current Southern Blast head coach and Southern Steel assistant coach.
“This is another progression in my career and a real privilege, so I’m really excited by it all,” Semu said.
“Jo brings a wealth of experience, especially her specialist knowledge of the shooting end. She’s already involved in the NNL space, so is already working with a lot of young players.
“I’m excited for both of us and think we have a lot to offer to this campaign and I’m really looking forward to working with her.”
With very little competition for secondary players over the past two years, there has been on-going effort from Netball New Zealand personnel and coaches to keep the players engaged, monitored and supported.
“For every secondary school player it is the pinnacle for them to be part of this team or squad, so it’s been very difficult for not just the players but us, as coaches,” Semu said.
“With no regional tournaments or NZ Secondary Schools Champs taking place over the last two years, it was always going to be quite challenging.”
Having the largest participation numbers across all codes at secondary school level, netball’s programme for this age-group is a pivotal component in the sport’s high performance pathway.
“There’s a lot we’ve had a look at. One of the priorities has been around detailing what does a secondary school player’s skillset look like and what we as selectors and coaches are looking at in helping players further develop their journey and transitioning out of secondary school into whatever pathway they’re headed,” Semu said.
Semu and Morrison will work with the NNZ Pathway Programs Manager Nicky Cattermoul to plan and implement the NZSS campaign for 2023 with a view to playing international competition for the first time in over two years.
That campaign will commence with three regional National Development Camps to be held in January. From those camps, a squad will be selected, followed by a trial to select the 2023 NZSS team.
“The reality is that Covid is still around,” Semu said.
“A campaign plan and what that looks like is still being worked through but we’re very hopeful these players will get the opportunity to compete as the NZ Secondary Schools team next year.”
Kylie Cox (Mainland) has been appointed the team’s physiotherapist. With a background in netball and more recently in triathlon and endurance sports, Cox also has post-graduate qualifications in Sports Medicine and a Master in Sport Science.
She has recently worked on a female health education initiative for NNZ’s NetballSmart programme.