Canterbury Tactix want the right netball stuff

EMMA ALLEN/Dominion Post

RIGHT STUFF: Tactix coach Leigh Gibbs had her squad together for the first time last weekend.

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The Canterbury Tactix new management group want to heap the players with responsibility and accountability for next year's trans-Tasman netball competition.

Coach Leigh Gibbs had her squad together for the first time last weekend – minus two English imports Stacey Francis and Jo Harten – and said the initial enthusiasm and excitement, though encouraging, would mean nothing if it didn't last the season.

Gibbs comes with a wealth of experience while her assistant Julie Seymour has more hands on experience with the side, being involved as a player or assistant for the last four seasons.

But, as Gibbs said, they can bring as much tactical nous and experience as they like, if the players don't buy into what the franchise is trying to do and take more responsibility for their actions on and off the court, the results won't come.

"It's about creating the right environment and getting them [the players] to buy into it. We can talk until we're blue in the face but if they don't buy into it and do the work, then they won't progress, and the Tactix won't progress."

Gibbs said the initial enthusiasm from the team was pleasing and a lot of that came from the franchise approaching "the right people".

She wasn't aware of any players not coming to Christchurch because of the earthquakes, but said it still took the right people to move, or stay in the region.

Only two New Zealand players will move to Christchurch; former Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic and Northern Mystics midcourter Keshia Grant shifts south in January and Bessie Manu returns to Canterbury after time with the Central Pulse.

Gibbs said Grant filled the need for a wing attack specialist and was chosen after several players were unofficially trialled and she watched the national provincial competition.

The Tactix also needed someone in their back court and with the Silver Ferns defenders already signed or committed to a franchise, Gibbs wanted the best available player and thinks she got her.

"Bessie's shown real sparks of capability and, for her height, gets a lot of ball and does very well in the air. And she's only 24 which is still very young."

Both were the "right people", she said.

Chief executive Pete Smith has long said he wanted to change the direction of the franchise and netball in the region as a whole and that too came down to the right people.

But can they win games?

As you'd expect, Gibbs thinks so.

She said the side had the right balance, plenty of experience with the right dash of youth and a number of options in most positions.

This year's side had the same. They finished last.

Gibbs said teaching her side how to win would be a big part of the challenge.

"In most people's definitions, winning will be in the score but for us it will also be being able to handle the challenges of the competition, being able to put in the training, being able to contribute as a team member."

It's all part of the process of building the team up from the winners of the wooden spoon the past two years and just two of their 26 games.

"We'll also be setting high standards and not accepting anything else underneath that," Gibbs said.

"We need them to buy into that, not just verbally by saying `yeah yeah yeah, we'll do it', they need to show they can do it, from now. And I believe we have the right people for that."

- © Fairfax NZ News