Coach keen to build up Pulse

ROSS GIBLIN/The Dominion Post

TALKING TACTICS: Pulse coach Yvette McCausland-Durie, centre, bonds with her team.

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Palmerston North's Yvette McCausland-Durie has confirmed she will stay on and coach the Central Pulse next season and wants to build their roster immediately.

After going through her reviews with the Pulse and Netball New Zealand in the past two weeks, the former national under-21 mentor said she would be back for another season with the struggling side.

Nothing has been signed yet but the formalities are likely to be ticked off in the coming weeks.

"Now the big focus is we need to get cracking with recruitment," McCausland-Durie said.

"Certainly for us, we want to contract Silver Ferns, that's the first layer and we want to work back from there."

Recruiting Silver Ferns is much easier said than done though.

"I don't think it's ever easy. We are expecting people to change lifestyle," McCausland-Durie admitted.

"Our theory is, we don't know if we don't ask."

Defender Katrina Grant was lured to the lower North Island-side last season, but just who would want to play for the Pulse remains unknown.

As bizarre as it sounds, the side could be attractive to play for because top players wouldn't have to battle for game time and could stand out in an underperforming line up.

McCausland-Durie has her eye on a few targets, but it isn't completely up to her.

"We leave that to the recruitment people," she said of the contractual arrangements.

McCausland-Durie had previously told the Manawatu Standard that playing double headers next year might put her off re-applying for the job.

After looking at the draw and planning towards next year she realised she could make it work, but said there was still a lot to achieve with the side.

"There's a number of things I think we can do better.

"One of the biggest things that sits here as a priority for me is that we settle our lines and combinations quickly.

"The second key one for me is real clarity around our vision as a franchise and how that determines what goals we set in terms of achievement."

But, while McCausland-Durie demanded more from her players next season, she said there were some improvements to be made by her.

"For me as a coach, I didn't think I was effective as I could've been.

"I think it's making good decisions in the heat of battle.

"That's an area I know I can be better at."

The Pulse finished ninth in this year's ANZ Championship, which was the first time they had avoided the wooden spoon in the competition's three-year history.

Struggles aside, McCausland-Durie appears to thrive on the prospect of turning the Pulse into a consistent outfit.

"At the end of the day we've got to love it and I enjoy the challenge."

- © Fairfax NZ News