Silver Ferns assistant coach Yvette McCausland-Durie has been appointed coach of the Central Pulse netball team for a second stint, replacing Tanya Dearns.
McCausland-Durie will lead the Wellington-based Pulse in next year's revamped elite domestic competition.
Reappointed Central Pulse coach Yvette McCausland-Durie Photo: Photosport
She originally coached the team from 2009 to 2011, and took a young Netball Central team to the runners-up spot in this year's inaugural development competition, the Beko League.
"This is an honour and I'm delighted to be back with the Pulse,'' McCausland-Durie said. "This is where it all began for me at a high performance level and I know I've come a long way since then."
"I'm passionate about netball and high performance sport. With this new domestic competition, it is an exciting time to be involved and I am looking forward to starting a new era with the Pulse."
Netball Central CEO Carolyn Young said they couldn't ignore the success McCausland-Durie had with the Central Beko team when selecting a coach for next year's inaugural season.
Netball Central was looking to align the Pulse and Beko League teams more closely following the demise of the trans-Tasman competition.
A Director of Performance will be appointed within the next fortnight to oversee both teams, in a bid to strengthen the overall coaching programme.
McCausland-Durie's appointment meant Dearns was not reappointed after coaching the Pulse in the final year of the ANZ Championship this season.
Now-former Central Pulse coach Tanya Dearns Photo: Photosport
Dearns was disappointed the decision had been made not to reappoint her for another year.
"I would have liked to coach the team for another year but I accept the board's decision that they want to take the team in a different direction and I wish them all the best for the next season," she said.
Young said the switch from the trans-Tasman league to the local competition was the "perfect opportunity to reset their sights and introduce a new era for the team with a fresh approach".
"We would like to thank Tanya for her contribution this year and wish her well for the future," Young said.
"We have just come through a very tough campaign. Tanya and the team had their fair share of bad luck, particularly with more than one career-ending injury. With the new competition having different challenges, the Board felt the experience of Yvette in the head coach role was the best option to help set the platform for the team heading into a new and exciting era."
The New Zealand Elite Domestic League, comprising six teams and a three-round format, will be launched in April, with an international component, the details of which are yet to be finalised, added at the end.
