Mother, innovator, netball mastermind: Robyn Broughton set the coaching standards

If it hadn’t been for Robyn Broughton’s foresight, Silver Ferns great Adine Wilson may have been stuck in the shooting end.

Decorated netball coach Broughton died on Wednesday, aged 80.

New Zealand’s most successful domestic netball coach, Broughton helped create a dynasty in the south – guiding the Invercargill-based Southern Sting to seven National Bank Cup titles between 1998 and 2007.

She then became coach of their successor, the Steel, from 2008 to 2011 in the trans-Tasman competition, before spending four seasons with the Central Pulse from 2012 to 2015.

Her international achievements include coaching a World 7 to victory over Australia in 2009, a World FastNet title in 2010 and three years as assistant coach to the Silver Ferns from 2000-02.

Broughton also achieved outstanding success with the Verdon College senior A team in Invercargill, leading them to six South Island and two national titles. She was a physical education teacher at Verdon for 36 years.

Former Silver Ferns captain Wilson, who was a key member of the dominant Sting side, had Broughton to thank for a move into the midcourt. A shooter at the start of her career, Broughton was responsible for shifting Wilson to wing attack when she arrived at the Sting from the Otago Rebels in 2001.

“Rob recognised I would have strengths there – the understanding of being able to feed a circle from playing in there. I absolutely believe the longevity of my career and enjoyment of my career has a huge influence from Robbie.”

In the 2012 Queen’s Birthday and Diamond Jubilee Honours, Broughton was appointed Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to netball.

As a player Broughton represented Hutt Valley, Otago and Southland – captaining the latter two. She also captained Otago University and New Zealand Universities.

She is best known for her coaching success with the Sting, who were a dominant force in New Zealand domestic netball. The Sting were front and back page news in Southland and Broughton was a recognisable figure everywhere she went in Invercargill.

“The respect the people in that community had for Robbie, whether it was the Sting or Verdon College where she coached, you just had to walk up the street with her and you saw the mana that she had within the community. I’m forever grateful I got to experience that,” Wilson said.

A hard taskmaster, who set impeccable standards, Broughton also had a soft side.

She was a motherly influence to her players, letting those new to Invercargill dine and stay at her home. Testament to her teaching background, she was known for her holistic nature – taking an interest in what her players were up to away from netball with their studies and careers.

“She was a mum to so many of us. We stayed out her house because we were travelling [to Invercargill] for training. We would share a gin together after a game,” Wilson said.

Wilson recalled Broughton’s training sessions vividly and said her high expectations only benefited them in games.

“The best we ever played was when we had one of these training sessions where we all wanted to box each other in the nose.

“Robbie would pull us up for making mistakes and if you were sitting on the sideline and someone threw the ball she’d go, ‘Who threw that’,”.

Legendary Sting defender and captain Bernice Mene moved from Wellington to the south in 1998 to play for the side in the first year of the National Bank Cup. She described Broughton as a second mother and said she made the transition smooth.

“She was so down to earth, but she just opened up her whole home to all of us. We would stay with Robyn and just the way her whole family welcomed us in.

“That was Robyn at the helm. She had so much expertise and experience in coaching, but she was always researching and looking up new ways and new ideas to bring to training. She was almost ahead of her time in many ways.”

Mene captained the Sting to four straight titles between 1999-02. Being able to work with Broughton and a gifted group of players during that span was a special time in her life.

“The skill she had was that ability to bring us together as a team, but treat us all as individuals within that team.

“I remember her telling us we all needed to tuck our shirts in. We couldn’t have our midriffs out, we’d catch a cold. I think that was really nice, knowing off the court she had our back as well.”

Marg Foster coached the Canterbury Flames in four unsuccessful finals against the Sting, losing in 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2004. She later joined Broughton at the Steel as an assistant coach after beating breast cancer, an opportunity she was forever grateful for.

Foster and Broughton had a fantastic rivalry in their coaching days, but also had deep respect for one another.

“I used to be so competitive wanting to beat the Sting with our players and especially who the Sting had at the time – all the hot shots.

“I loved after the game, win or lose, we’d always have a glass of wine and a bit of natter.”

Being able to work as an assistant to Broughton in 2009 with the Steel was a lasting memory for Foster. The Steel made the top four that season, losing the semifinal to the Adelaide Thunderbirds.

She learned plenty working alongside the canny Broughton and said they shared a similar philosophy on coaching.

“I loved her style. I learned so much being an assistant coach with her and the biggest thing was her relationships and connections with our netballers. She was absolutely inspiring and incredibly innovative with her game and her drills.

“She is the most successful coach in netball we’ve ever had, well I think she is.”

Broughton’s success wasn’t limited to the elite ranks. She enjoyed phenomenal results with Invercargill’s Verdon College.

Verdon finished in the top 12 at national tournament nine years straight from 1999-2007 – an outstanding record for a school with only 250 students at the time, competing against much larger schools. They were national champions in 2001 and 2007.

“Robyn was a true Taonga (treasured possession) of the College and she will be dearly missed, but her influence and legacy remain with those that work with and alongside her at the College as well as those players that she shared her talents with and supported to the highest level of achievement in netball,” Verdon said in a statement.

Netball New Zealand also paid respect to Broughton and said her contribution to the sport had been immense.

“Robyn Broughton was an incredible woman that gave a huge amount to our game, the most successful domestic coach in our history, winning seven titles in the National Bank Cup,”

“She was a Netball New Zealand Life Member, Silver Ferns assistant coach and a mentor to many of the coaches who are now in the Netball NZ High Performance system.”