The revered former Silver Ferns coach once had some choice words for her players when they were not up to scratch at training in 1978.
‘‘I said ‘that was a disaster area. I’m going back to the motel, I’ll see you tomorrow’,’’ Muir said.
The remark tickled her players so much they had a special gold pendant made with ‘‘disaster area’’ engraved and Muir’s other favoured phrase — ‘‘I’m not happy’’ — on the other side.
That was just one of the many tales told as Muir, 91, shared plenty of laughs catching up with five of her former players — Leigh Gibbs, Sandy Edge, Tracey Fear, Wai Taumaunu and Yvonne Willering — at her Dunedin home this week.
‘‘It’s wonderful. Just like old times,’’ Muir, who coached the Silver Ferns from 1974-88, said.
After the 1987 World Cup-winning team got together for a reunion in Dunedin three years ago, Fear put the call out to see who was interested in another get-together.
The group joked they were the ‘‘favourites’’, but there were plenty of others keen to get together and make the trip.
They relished the chance to catch up with each other, share their stories — even if there were varying accounts — and share laughs with their former coach, who left an indelible mark on their lives.
‘‘Lois’s memory goes all the way back. It’s just so cool, just the sharing of stuff,’’ Willering said.
All the players remained involved in netball, from coaching at a community level — Willering, Gibbs and Taumaunu went on to coach the Silver Ferns — and as consultants.
Asked what led them to stay involved in the sport, it always came back to Muir.
‘‘You never said you must stay involved, but it was something that we would’ve wanted to do because of the experience that we had,’’ Gibbs said, looking at Muir.
‘‘What we have enjoyed sharing is Lois-isms. They meant a lot.’’
‘‘I think our philosophies when we talk are very similar to Lois’,’’ Willering said.
Fear, who said the two-day trip had been fantastic, agreed.
‘‘It’s wanting to give back and that was part of our playing as well ... to help the person that’s going to take your place so you leave the team in a better place.’’
