Netball: Clarke will look back fondly at her time in the job

Sue Clarke.
Sue Clarke.
Netball South chief executive Sue Clarke will pack up her desk this afternoon and finish her 26-month tenure in the job.

Clarke announced she was resigning last month to take up a ''business role'' outside sport, which she did not want publicised.

Clarke has been the chief executive since January 2013 and was instrumental in making sure netball's transition into a zone-based model went smoothly.

The foundation of the plan has resulted in New Zealand being split into five zones: South, Mainland, Central, Waikato-Bay of Plenty and Northern.

Clarke said she would walk out the door with mixed emotions and would look back fondly at her time in the job.

''One of the highlights has been seeing the Steel develop into the unit they are and will continue to do so,'' she said.

''We have got a dynamic young team and it's certainly our belief that one day we will grow our own players that will fill the franchise spots and we won't need to bring in outside players.

''The development plan is now in place and will start to bear fruit in the near future.''

Interviews for Clarke's replacement were conducted last week and an announcement would be made ''very shortly'', she said.

''I think they hope to announce it next week. It will be great if that occurs, because then there is a very small transition time for everyone,'' she said.

The biggest challenges her successor would face would be financial sustainability and investment into women's sport, Clarke said.

''In Southland, there are three franchise teams all vying for the same commercial dollar, and Dunedin is not much different,'' she said.

''My big question is how can we afford all this spending on professional sport in New Zealand?''

New Zealand had a lot of franchises for a small population, and that was a concern, Clarke said.

''Until we get a better commercial model, sustaining them will always be a challenge,'' she said.

''Sport is bloody hard, that's honest. It's a hard industry to be in.''

After switching the computer off for the last time this afternoon, Clarke will enjoy the rest of the week off before starting her new job next Monday.

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