Gibbs had recently pulled the curtain on an illustrious international netball career and was learning the ropes as a coach, taking charge of the Canterbury provincial team.
A 19-year-old rookie midcourter, one Julie Dawson, had caught her eye and trialled for the team. Despite not making the final cut, the teenager was still turning up to training.
"We had a wider Canterbury squad which did some early morning trainings -- and in Christchurch, outdoors, that was a challenge," remembered Gibbs, now coaching development manager for Netball New Zealand.
"In the winter mornings, she'd bike to the netball courts in the dark and frosty conditions, in the height of winter. That just spoke volumes about her attitude.
"The fact that while she hadn't made the team, she was still committed and wanting to develop her game and kept coming was a sign of her immense mental toughness."
Fast-forward 19 years, and Dawson -- Silver Ferns captain, now married to rugby player Dallas Seymour, mother of three with a fourth on the way -- has finally announced her retirement from international netball after amassing 92 test caps spread over 15 years.
Seymour may have missed selection for Canterbury way back in 1990, but it was obvious where she was going, Gibbs said.
"Her athleticism, her real commitment and dedication, and that love of the game -- you could just see that in her," Gibbs told NZPA.
"She played pretty well, too ... For her, it wasn't just making the team -- it was about what was required as a commitment by an athlete."
Seymour vividly remembers the start of her netball career, cycling through the depths of a Canterbury winter.
"Those were the days -- I must have been nuts. We used to have those 6.30am fitness sessions, and in the middle of a Canterbury winter, it was pretty cold," she told NZPA.
"Thankfully, we train inside now."
The young Seymour learned quickly, making the Gibbs-coached New Zealand under-21 team in 1991 and 1992 and was part of the team who beat Australia at the world youth championships in Fiji in 1992.
"She was very easy to work with, she just got on with it and wanted to improve. She was the model student really," Gibbs said.
Such was Seymour's progress and potential, she was selected two years later for the Silver Ferns' 1994 international campaign, an important build-up to the 1995 world championships.
Gibbs had replaced Lyn Gunson as New Zealand coach, and with some key midcourt retirements -- Ana Noovao and Joan Hodson, to name two -- the time was ripe for Seymour.
"She just about went into the top line-up," Gibbs said. "Her debut was against Australia, and she didn't sit on the bench."
Looking back to the start of her career, Seymour confesses to some surprise over the path it has taken, saying there was "no way" she ever imagined still playing at 38.
"Back then, I didn't even know I'd ever make the Ferns. That was pretty special doing that and I certainly didn't think I'd be playing that long.
"I remember a day when I used to think 30 was old!"
Seymour has kept herself fresh, and retired from the sport in 2004, a three-year break which ended in 2006 when she was recalled to the Ruth Aitkens-coached Silver Ferns.
During her time off, Seymour resumed her career as a middle distance runner, showing versatility as well as speed to pick up Canterbury 400m and 800m titles.
Seymour's track and field career includes a highly respectable personal best of 2min 05.9sec over 800m as well as a solid 400m best of around 55sec.
That love of running has stood her in good stead for netball fitness over the years.
"The thing that has surprised me the most is how the body can perform as it gets older, if you're willing to do the training and train smartly.
"I found, as I was getting in my late 30s, I could still compete with the young ones, which was a nice surprise."
Seymour's fitness -- not to mention her experience and focus -- proved invaluable when she returned to Aitken's squad in 2006 as Silver Ferns captain.
Gibbs, who until recently filled the assistant coach position with the Ferns, has been impressed with Seymour's development over the years.
"Her growth in terms of understanding the game has been fantastic, and a midcourt player can be so influential in terms of both attacking and defence.
"Julie, and Irene (van Dyk) have broken new ground really, in terms of their longevity and performance at international level."
