1.  Employment Opportunity: NetballSmart Development Officer

With Katie’s departure as one of our incredible NetballSmart Development Officers,  we are on the hunt for her replacement to deliver NetballSmart across our Zone. We are seeking someone with a background in Physiotherapy or Sports Science and/or Strength and Conditioning with knowledge of injury prevention strategies in sport.

If you know of anyone suitable, please direct them to our job listing here: https://www.netballnorthern.co.nz/northern/about-us/jobs/netballsmart-development-officer-6.html

Contact: Claire.beuvink@netballnorthern.co.nz 

2.  Reminder: Membership Returns

Thank you to Centres who have submitted their Membership Returns already. This is a friendly reminder that Membership Returns are due by the end of the day, next Friday 24 October.

You will find instructions and form attached.

Once complete, invoices will be issued and due for payment by 20 November 2025.

If you have any questions or issues with completing the Return form, please reach out.

Contact: Claire.beuvink@netballnorthern.co.nz    

3. Reminder: Centre Connect RSVPs

A friendly reminder that RSVPs for the final Centre Connect of 2025 (apologies for my previous typo!) close midday, Friday 24 October.

We are excited to announce Ruth Southwood, Head of Community at Netball New Zealand will be attending the Auckland hui in person, and the Northland hui via video call to provide a community update.

Final agenda to come early next week.

Please pass on the invitation to all of your key Centre personnel. It’s a great chance for connection between Centres and between roles.

Auckland Region

Auckland Netball Centre

Tuesday 28 October, 3pm-5.30pm

RSVP here

Northland Region:

Bay of Islands Netball Centre

Sunday 2 November, 11am-1.30pm

RSVP here

Contact: Claire.beuvink@netballnorthern.co.nz

4. Centre Satisfaction Survey

You’ll have seen this come through yesterday, but as a quick reminder we’d love your honest feedback to help us keep improving how we work with and support you heading into 2026. Thank you to those who have already completed the feedback!

👉 Complete the survey here

The survey is anonymous (unless you’d like a follow-up chat), and we’d really appreciate you sharing it with your board, executive committee, and key Centre champions so we can capture a wide range of views.

You’ll also find our 2025–2027 Strategic Plan attached, which links to Question 2 in the survey.

Thanks in advance - your feedback, the good and the constructive, genuinely helps us shape how we support you next year.

Contact: Claire.beuvink@netballnorthern.co.nz

5. Year 5 & 6 futureFERNS Feeback

NNZ are currently conducting an ongoing futureFERNS review, and are seeking we’re seeking Centre input on the Year 5 & 6 game format and how it might evolve moving forward.

Centres are asked to submits one consolidated response after completing your internal consultation processes. This will help ensure we capture a collective view from across your teams.

Please note that no final decisions have been made at this stage, the Year 5 & 6 format may or may not change. The attached background document outlines the review process and indicative timelines.

Attached to this email, you’ll find:

1. Background reading on the review process and research
2. A summary of our most recent research
3. A copy of the survey questions (for internal sharing if needed before completing your survey)

Once you’ve reviewed the materials above, please submit your Centre’s response via the following link here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FFformatconsultation.

NNZ request this back by Mon, 10 Nov.

Contact: Irene (irenevd@netballnz.co.nz).

6. Development Day Information

You may have seen on our social media channels some photos from our Development Day held at Netball Waitākere on Sunday.

Netball Northern Development Days are zone-led events designed to support the growth of players, coaches, and umpires across our region as part of our Performance Pathway.

They provide an opportunity to experience high-quality training, skill development, and education sessions that reflect the standards and expectations of performance netball.

The days include practical on-court sessions, fitness testing, NetballSmart workshops, and match play, with specialist input from experienced coaches and staff.

They also offer learning and networking opportunities for coaches and umpires, helping to strengthen capability across all levels of the game.

For more information on our Performance Pathway and where Development Day fits, please see attached draft information which will be more formally communicated soon.

The final Development Day of 2025 will be held this weekend at Pulman Arena.

Contact: Pete McInnes athletelead@netballnorthern.co.nz

7. ISA Seminar – Northland Opportunity

Centres are all well and truly underway and/or have drafts complete for their updated constitutions, but if you and/or your clubs are looking for extra ISA information, Forsyth Barr Whangārei is running two seminars (Whangarei and Kerikeri locations) on the Incorporated Societies Act, presented by Cameron Norrish, Chief Executive of the New Zealand Amateur Sport Association, and Forsyth Barr’s Gordon Noble-Campbell, Head of Wealth Management Operations, and the Chair of New Zealand Amateur Sport.

This session will:

• explain the key compliance changes and what they mean for your organisation
• highlight insights from the 2024 National Sport Club Survey and the publication Stronger Communities Through Sport
• provide practical guidance on preparing your organisation for the future

Please see posters attached for more information and to RSVP.

Contact: michelle.hynes@forsythbarr.co.nz or

Reminder: Behind the Whistle Campaign

The  Behind the Whistle campaign with Netball NZ and NETFIT NZ is in full swing.

The purpose of the campaign is to celebrate, educate, recruit, and retain our netball umpires — because we all know the game doesn’t happen without them!

There are three key aspects to the campaign:

1. Umpiring and Rules Resources
   • All resources have been compiled into one, easy-to-access LinkTree, including a sign-up form for new umpires.
   • Responses will be sent to zone umpire leads and passed onto centres.
     
     👉 Check it out here
2. Assets for Centres
   • Includes:
     • Social media tiles
     • Posters (with QR code to the LinkTree)
     • Email/newsletter images
     • Asset guidelines (how to use them)
   • If you’d like your centre’s umpire lead details included on the posters, please contact your Zone Umpire Lead.
   • For questions about how to use the assets, reach out to Josh – JoshB@netballnz.co.nz.

👉 Access the assets here

3. Social Media Campaign
   • We’ll be telling the stories of umpires from around Aotearoa, celebrating the incredible people who pick up the whistle every week!

You can engage with the campaign however you like — for example, printing and displaying posters on notice boards or aligning it with an umpire or volunteer appreciation round.

You can also share NNZ’s and NetFit’s social media posts and stories through your own social media channels.