Created by local supporter Lynn Stratford in partnership with Netball South Canterbury, a two-day accelerator camp is being launched on King’s Birthday weekend.
The inaugural South Canterbury Netball Accelerator Camp is aiming to provide year 8 players with an intensive development experience focused on the fundamentals of the game, skill development, game understanding and leadership.
Renowned coaches Yvette McCausland-Durie and Leonie Leaver are leading the camp, bringing decades of elite coaching experience to Timaru for what organisers hope will become a long-term development pathway for young players in the region.
The camp will be free for participants, with support for court hire funded by Trust Aoraki.
Stratford said the initiative was inspired by a desire to ensure young players continued to have access to meaningful development opportunities.
"Looking back at the opportunities available when we were developing as players, we realised experiences like this no longer existed locally.
"Rather than talk about it, we wanted to do something positive for the next generation.
"I am thrilled to be part of bringing this opportunity to young netballers in South Canterbury.
"Yvette and Leonie are world-class coaches and to have them in Timaru coaching our local talent is incredibly exciting."
In addition to player development, the initiative would also create a unique learning environment for aspiring South Canterbury coaches, who would have the opportunity to observe and coach alongside two of the country’s most respected netball mentors.
Netball South Canterbury centre manager Vicki McKnight said the initiative would have a lasting impact on players and coaches across the region.
"We are incredibly grateful to Lynn and [daughter] Haidee Stratford for their generosity and vision in creating this Accelerator Camp.
"This opportunity will create positive, defining memories not only for our year 8 netballers, but also for our local coaches, who will have the rare chance to observe and learn from two of Netball New Zealand’s top coaches up close.
"Initiatives like this have a lasting impact on our people and on the future of the game in South Canterbury."
The camp format would include specialist coaching sessions on day one followed by match play on day two, with participants also encouraged to give back to the game by committing to deliver two hours of coaching within their own school or club environments following the camp. — Allied Media
