Latest news with #NetballSmart
Newsroom
5 days ago
- Sport
- Newsroom
Sam Winders helping the next generation to get smart
Sam Winders was in no-man's land when she came home to New Zealand. The 47-test Silver Fern had been playing for the Giants in Sydney for the 2024 Suncorp Super Netball season. She spent the last part of the season sitting on the bench and she came home with renewed focus. 'I thought 'Oh my gosh, I am no longer cut out for this life of sitting on the bench'. I just want to play, whatever that looks like,' says the 29-year-old from Rotorua. There were limited spots in the regions she wanted to play so for the first time in her career, she thought of life outside of netball. Winders was lining up to study a Diploma of Teaching when she got a call from Silver Ferns physio Sharon Kearney. 'Shaz called me and said: 'There's a job going at WBOP and I think you should apply',' says Winders. 'I thought 'why not'. It was the first time I had a proper job interview in years – it felt like my first day at school – but it has all fallen into place and I'm loving it.' Winders, who attended John Paul College in Rotorua, where she was deputy head girl, is the new NetballSmart Development Officer for the WBOP region. 'I'm teaching stuff that I am so passionate about, and to a degree, a bit of an expert in. Being able to move well and doing things that make you a better person and a better player,' she says. 'It's a full circle moment, 10 years ago, when the NetballSmart warm up first came out, I was a fresh face university student slash netball player. So going from being an ambassador of NetballSmart to now being fully embedded in it and helping the next generation of players is cool.' Winders in full flight for the Magic against the Central Pulse in Porirua in 2022., Photo: Michael Bradley photography In 2024 ACC accepted 23,796 netball-related injuries which came at a cost of $48 million to help people recover. This was the highest number of netball injuries and cost for the past five years. ACC has partnered with Netball NZ since 1997 to deliver NetballSmart. It is the only injury prevention programme to focus solely on improving outcomes for females. In 2025, the Ferns lead physiotherapist Kearney has driven the revision of the programme. The revised warm-up focuses more on the landing and deceleration components of the warm-up, and it is more game-specific. Kearney says Winders is an ideal role model for the programme. 'Sam is a hard-working and very competitive player who sustained minimal injuries at an ANZ Premiership, Suncorp Super Netball and international level. She ran hard, decelerated strongly and landed each jump well – no matter how challenging. 'Sam's ability to share her expertise directly with players on achieving success, integrated with NetballSmart messaging to minimise injury risk is invaluable. 'That is why Sam was great as a NetballSmart ambassador and now as one of our regional officers – she can help tell the story of what it takes to play netball like she does.' Winders is focused on developing more young athletes in New Zealand. ACC data shows that the 10 – 14 age group (6,306 claims) and 15 – 19 age group (4,513) had the most netball-related injuries in 2024. 'We don't have the depth of athlete that we need,' she says. 'Often in netball, we bypass the athlete, and we go, 'who's tall, who's got the physical attributes of being a netball player?' Let's pick them. 'So, you get to the Silver Ferns, and people can't jump or turn fast or accelerate well or stop efficiently – they just lack those athletic capabilities or may have sustained significant injuries on their journey to the top. 'In the sessions I am leading, we are taking that concept and running with it. We train them to be athletes, embedding in habits early which gives them freedom to do whatever they want in the game and decrease injury risk.' Winders says for young people, they want to prevent a serious injury, like rupturing your ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) at all costs. In 2024, ACC accepted 373 ACL related netball injuries, and 335 of those were female. Sam is the new NetballSmart development officer in the Western Bay of Plenty. Photo: Supplied 'I have seen it in my teams, the huge personal cost an injury like that has, it puts everything on hold and some players, they might not be the same again. 'I grew up here in Rotorua and we had so many talented players who didn't make it to the next level so that is a big drive for me, making sure we are looking after our local players.' Winders says it's a special feeling coming away from a team training where the players are fully engaged in learning the NetballSmart dynamic warm-up. She says players who complete the warm-up have up to 50 percent less chance of injury. 'From the team point of view, the teams who have the fewest number of injuries are generally the most successful as well.' And for Winders, she hasn't hung up her bib, just yet. For now, she is playing club netball for Ngongotahā in the Tauranga Premier Competition. 'I don't think I will ever lose that love of playing and competing, but I'm also getting huge rewards from working with our young players.' ACC claims – netball injuries In 2024 ACC accepted 23,796 netball-related injuries which came at a cost of $48 million to help people recover. In 2024 ACC accepted 373 ACL related netball injuries, and 335 of those were female. What is NetballSmart NetballSmart is an evidence-based framework made up of six principles. It helps improve your performance in sport by preventing injuries. The revised warm-up focuses more on increased emphasis on the landing and deceleration components of the warm-up and it is more game-specific. For more:
NZ Herald
24-05-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Ex-Silver Fern Samantha Winders teaches netball injury prevention as ACC claims rise
Winter sports-related injury claims and costs have consistently gone up over that period in Bay of Plenty. Rugby union led the pack last year, with nearly 5000 claims costing more than $10m. The 1504 netball claims cost just over $3.2m. Football, basketball, and netball injuries were most common among 10-14-year-olds, whilst rugby union and rugby league injuries were most common among 15-19-year-olds. Winders, a former John Paul College deputy head girl, spent nine years with the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic and played 47 tests for the Silver Ferns. She has not hung up her bib yet, playing club netball for Ngongotahā in the Tauranga premier competition. Winders said she managed to avoid any serious injuries during her professional playing days, when she was an ambassador for NetballSmart. ACC has partnered with Netball NZ since 1997 to deliver the programme focused on improving performances in sport by preventing injuries. Winders said her regional development job was about teaching, a vocation she had always felt called to. 'It's very much a teaching role, but not in a classroom setting, obviously in a netball setting, and that's something I feel like I'm a bit of an expert in.' As the development officer, Winders works with coaches, players, schools, centres and clubs to help develop strategies to improve performance and decrease injury risk. NetballSmart is an evidence-based framework and includes a revised warm-up that focuses on key game-specific movements such as landings and deceleration. Winders said she had a responsibility to develop the athletic side of a netball player, setting a good foundation in injury prevention and management. 'Injury management doesn't just happen on the netball court or in prevention. It starts well before that. 'A big part of it is preparation, warming up properly and moving well, but at the same time it's sort of empowering athletes to take responsibility for themselves in the way they prepare for the game.' She said NetballSmart was about breeding 'good movers' who lived by their principles. 'NetballSmart speaks for itself, it's a smart way to approach netball. 'If you have a good, strong foundation, then you will prevent injuries.' She was 'very grateful' that netball was and remained such a 'massive' part of her life. 'It's a pretty basic sport, but there is so much room for growth and development within it … it's taken me all over the world." She could not imagine ever losing her love for playing and competing, but said she also found working with young players very rewarding. 'I really would love to see more players from this region crack it, because they have the ability to.' Silver Ferns lead physiotherapist Sharon Kearney has driven a revision of the programme. 'Sam's ability to share her expertise directly with players on achieving success, integrated with NetballSmart messaging to minimise injury risk, is invaluable,' Kearney said in a statement. 'That is why Sam was great as a NetballSmart ambassador and now as one of our regional officers. She can help tell the story of what it takes to play netball like she does.' Winter sports injury claims ACC data for 2024 in the Bay of Plenty showed: 1504 netball claims costing $3,216,405 2485 football claims costing $3,449,577 4912 rugby union claims costing $10,500,091 995 rugby league claims costing $2,276,739 1721 basketball claims costing $1,719,023.
Newsroom
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Newsroom
Dame Noels: ‘A huge cost on my career and life'
Dame Noeline Taurua (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whātua) is a legend of New Zealand netball. She played 34 test matches for the Silver Ferns before a serious knee injury ended her playing career. The affable and successful Ferns coach is a key voice in supporting the revised NetballSmart warm-up. The NetballSmart team have conducted research, gathered evidence, listened to community feedback, and enhanced the pre-game warm-up. I fell into coaching. Back in 1999, I was 31 and still playing for the Ferns when I ruptured my anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). I was devastated. Even though it was many years ago, I can still clearly remember that feeling of being down and out from a serious netball injury. I had two ACL injuries during my playing career in the 1990s – one on each knee. The first one, I was younger, and I recovered well but the second one ended my career. It is a tough injury to come back from and it had a huge cost on both my career and life. Back in those times, we weren't full-time athletes. We were holding down full-time jobs, so the challenge was even greater. I learnt a lot about what is required in terms of ticking all of the boxes in your rehabilitation. I loved coaching straight away. It's one of those jobs that you learn through experience. Whether good experiences or not so good, you never stop learning. I had the best of the best as a player. I was under the likes of Waimarama Taumaunu for over 10 years while I was playing in Wellington. Dame Lois Muir, at the end of her coaching career, Leigh Gibbs and Yvonne Willering were all huge influences on me. They shaped the way I coach now. To coach in a sport that you love, at any level, is a privilege. I love working with people and getting the best out of them. It's about making that privilege as positive as it can be. I love the feeling of being in the battle. Like when we are taking on Australia or England in a close game and your players are in the zone. It gives me immense pride to see my players express themselves and play with freedom on the biggest stage. It's a hard place to get to, but when you do it is so beautiful and memorable. It is a bit of a rush. Throughout my coaching career I have learnt a lot. We know that many serious injuries in our game are preventable. We know that if players do the NetballSmart warm-up before they train or play, they can reduce their chances of serious injury by up to 50 percent. This year I am helping with the relaunch of Netball Smart – it's not new, it's better. This work is led by Sharon Kearney [Ferns' lead physiotherapist] and we are so fortunate to have her knowledge and experience. We are also lucky to have our partnership with ACC who have been proactive in supporting us and played a massive role in minimising injuries in our game. We have listened to our netball community and feedback from players and coaches. The revised warm-up has an increased emphasis on the landing and deceleration components of the warm-up, and it is more game-specific. Like all player welfare programmes, it's only successful if our community engages with it. ACC data shows that the age brackets 10–14 and 15–19 have the most netball injuries every year so it's crucial that we imbed the values of NetballSmart into our players when they are young, so it's second nature. Supporting this work is important to me because I know what this injury is like. It's also important that we continue to invest in our grassroots coaches and players. Our Silver Ferns come from the grassroots of our game. That is our pathway from local level coming right through to high performance to the Silver Ferns. I am often asked for my advice for coaches around Aotearoa. I tell them to make sure you understand clearly why you're coaching and make it simple for your players to follow what you are wanting to do. Think about your player welfare and conditioning before you try to implement your strategy for the game. But above all make it fun. We want people all over New Zealand to be playing netball from the grassroots to the national team and enjoying our beautiful game. ACC claims – netball injuries In 2024 ACC accepted 23,796 netball-related injuries which came at a cost of $48 million to help people recover. In 2024 ACC accepted 373 ACL related netball injuries, and 335 of those were female. What is NetballSmart NetballSmart is an evidence-based framework made up of six principles. It helps improve your performance in sport by preventing injuries. The six principles are: Smart preparation, Dynamic warm-up, Smart movement, Smart training, Smart Player Welfare / Wellbeing and Smart Injury Management. The revised warm-up focuses more on increased emphasis on the landing and deceleration components of the warm-up and it is more game-specific. For more:
NZ Herald
28-04-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Northland netball injuries cost ACC $1.8m - Silver Ferns coach backs injury prevention
It's an important year for the Silver Ferns as they look to consolidate on their Constellation Cup victory in 2024 and prepare for the 2026 Commonwealth Games and 2027 Netball World Cup. 'The thing that I was most pleased about [in the win over Australia] was our ability just to mentally be in tune with each other,' the 56-year-old coach said. 'So that is our focus for this year. We need to consolidate on those performances and hit those standards again. We need to keep building.' That same philosophy applies to player welfare. Taurua (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whātua) is educating netball coaches and players across New Zealand about the changes to the NetballSmart dynamic warm-up. 'It is important work because our Silver Ferns come from the grassroots of our game,' she said. 'That is our pathway from local level coming right through to high performance to the Silver Ferns. We need to ensure our coaches have the resources to protect our players for the long term.' In New Zealand, there were 373 ACL-related netball injuries in 2024, and 335 of those were female. 'We know that an ACL is a debilitating injury that can take a player up to 12 months to recover from,' Taurua said. 'That has a huge impact on the person's career and their life.' ACC has partnered with Netball NZ since 1997 to deliver NetballSmart. It is the only injury prevention programme to focus solely on improving outcomes for females. The Ferns' lead physiotherapist, Sharon Kearney, has driven the revision of the programme. 'NetballSmart is brilliant. We are so fortunate to have Sharon, and her team involved,' Taurua said. 'And for athletes and coaches to have these resources available is great. We have reviewed the programme and listened to the feedback of our community to improve it. We are lucky to have our partnership with ACC who have played a massive role in minimising injuries in our game.' Netball NZ is supporting coaches with a range of resources like videos on the warmup. Taurua, who played 34 tests for the Silver Ferns, has simple advice for coaches and players on how to approach their netball. 'For players it is all about enjoyment. You need to look after your body and know that your body is the tool and the more you invest in it, the more you are investing your longevity in the game. 'For coaches, understand clearly why you're doing it. It is easy to overthink it, but the best coaching is when you pull it back to the core fundamentals and keep it simple. ''
Otago Daily Times
24-04-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Netballers in South urged to focus on injury prevention
Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua has taken time out from the national team to share information with Otago and Southland netballers about how they can avoid injuring themselves on court. In 2024, more than 1670 players in Otago and Southland had netball-related injury claims accepted by the Accident Compensation Corporation, costing the taxpayer $4.3million to help them recover. So Dame Noeline has partnered with ACC and Netball NZ, to remind players and coaches about NetballSmart — an evidence-based framework, made up of six principles which aim to prevent injuries. Silver Ferns lead physiotherapist Sharon Kearney recently drove a revision of the warm-up part of the programme, which focused more on the landing and deceleration components of the game. And now Netball NZ is supporting coaches with a range of resources like videos on the warm-up. Dame Noeline said it was the only injury-prevention programme to focus solely on improving outcomes for women. "It is important work because our Silver Ferns come from the grassroots of our game. "That is our pathway from local level, coming right through to high performance, to the Silver Ferns. "We need to ensure our coaches have the resources to protect our players for the long term," she said. Nationwide, ACC last year accepted 23,796 netball-related injuries which cost $48m to help people recover. Netball-related injuries have been increasing and 2024 was the highest number of injuries and cost for the past five years. Among those injuries, 373 were anterior cruciate ligament-related injuries. "We know that an ACL is a debilitating injury that can take a player up to 12 months to recover from," Dame Noeline said. "That has a huge impact on the person's career and their life." ACC's 2024 data showed 10-14 year-olds (6306 claims) dominated the number of netball-related injuries, followed by 15-19 year-olds (4513). Dame Noeline stressed the importance of "bedding in" the NetballSmart habits early. "We want our young netball players to come into the system and for the NetballSmart warm-up to be second nature — it should be automatic. "But the programme and these changes will only be effective if our community engages with it." She said research showed that completing the dynamic warm-up reduced the chance of injury by up to 50%. "For players, it is all about enjoyment. "You need to look after your body and know that your body is the tool, and the more you invest in it, the more you are investing in your longevity in the game."
