Netball: Willering a force again

By RICHARD BOOCK

Some things never seem to change, although Force coach Yvonne Willering might have us think otherwise.

The former Silver Ferns boss will celebrate something of a rebirth in New Zealand coaching circles this weekend when she makes her official comeback in an old stamping ground with the North Harbour-based Force.

Discarded as New Zealand coach in late 2001, Willering divided much of last year between the proverbial wilderness and the South Pacific, where she assisted with the coaching of the Fiji national side and gradually came to terms with her setback.

Although a newcomer to the National Bank Cup competition, she is unlikely to feel uncomfortable against the Canterbury Flames on Sunday, starting with half a squad she already knows and in the familiar surrounds of the North Shore Events Centre.

For all that, Willering is talking these days of the need to accept change and adapt - not surprisingly perhaps, given the shock of her axing two seasons ago.

"Hopefully, we all change with the game, rather than just watching it change," says Willering. "I'd like to think I'm constantly improving and learning. I mean, you have to - there's so much responsibility attached to the game these days.

"This is a change for me, because - while there's familiarity in some areas - I've never been involved in the National Bank Cup in a coaching capacity, so it's a totally new challenge."

And it goes without saying that the long-time North Harbour coach will continue with the approach she has championed for the past decade, preparing a squad capable of changing and adjusting to meet the specific style of the opposition.

Willering has never been one to settle on a front-line seven, arguing that a constant shape and style creates predictability and ultimately, turns a strength into a weakness.

"There won't be a reliance on a main seven, as such," she says. "We have a number of combinations, and certainly the strength isn't diluted when we change the line-up.

"That's the ideal set-up, in my mind. If we can get all 12 players on the court, that's a real bonus."

Possibly one of her more influential interchanges will be in the attacking circle, where she has the option of using the tall but slightly static Daneka Wipiiti at goal shoot, or employing the more mobile combination of Teresa Tairi and Malu Fa'asavalu.

"The big thing is that we can adjust - it's imperative at this level."

As for her return to top grade netball, Willering says there was a natural sense of profound disappointment after she was overlooked for the Ferns job, but that she gradually came to terms with the decision and was able to move forward.

"That was a disappointment without a doubt.

"In some ways it possibly makes you feel tougher. You have to pick yourself up and learn from it, and I know that it was a tough time for me.

"But I guess there comes a time when you have to move through that open door and look for a different challenge - and that's the way I've gone about it."

As the build-up to the opening round of the competition winds down, Willering says she is excited about the new campaign but still unsure how her side will stack up against rival teams.

The Force finished third in last year's competition, the equal best from the North Harbour franchise in the cup's five-year history.

"We're a bit of an unknown quantity to be honest.

"The first game will give me a far better indication of where we are in comparison to where the other teams are. I think most teams are in that position.

"We haven't played any NBC teams in our build-up but I don't think that'll hurt us because no one reveals their cards in the pre-season games anyway.

"I'll feel much better after this first round of games is over. As a coach you've got the material and the chance to analyse the opposition and your own performance, so I'm looking forward to that. But as a team we're ready to play. It's time to get out on the court."