They’ll miss you Robbie
Robyn Broughton hates a fuss. Farewells, thank yous or being the centre of attention? Absolutely not. None of that’s a mystery to those who’ve played for Broughton, be it at Verdon College, the Southern Sting, Steel or Central Pulse.
Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit has the distinction of being in each of those teams. She’s not one for a fuss herself but felt one was warranted this time.
Broughton’s career at the Pulse hasn’t finished in a blaze of glory, with the team finishing a lowly fourth in the New Zealand conference of the trans-Tasman Netball League. But, at the instigation of captain Katrina Grant, Selby-Rickit, Liana Leota and Joline Henry volunteered to say a few words about a woman who’s had a profound effect on their lives.
Selby-Rickit was just 16, when she was shipped off from Otaki to Invercargill to play for Verdon and the Sting. Grant and Leota weren’t a lot older when they headed south, themselves.
Each have their stories about culture shock, intimidating team-mates and the coach that made them feel they belonged and could play and would be Silver Ferns one day.
Henry was no wide-eyed youngster, nor short of confidence, when Broughton arrived at the Pulse in 2012. Everyone in netball knows ‘‘Robbie’’ and, like everyone else, Henry had her opinion of Broughton.
She’d caught the, seemingly, vague team talks on TV, she’d seen the star-studded rosters and thought they were surely the reason Broughton’s teams won. After all, the woman gave no discernible instructions other than look after the ball or watch your spacing.
‘‘Once you get to know her and once you’ve been coached by her, you have a better understanding of where she’s coming from and what she’s trying to tell you,’’ Henry said.
‘‘All you’ve got to do is look at the players that she’s had the loyalty of, such as Lesley Rumball, Bernice Mene, Adine Wilson, Donna Wilkins. There’s something very special about that lady and the way she coaches teams that’s demanded the respect and loyalty of so many before us.’’
Players needed a certain level of selfsufficiency and smarts to thrive under Broughton. She led them to water during the pre-season and at training, but they were always expected to work out how to drink. It was their game, she couldn’t play for them.
As for what she said during matches, well, a look or a raised eyebrow conveyed more than most coaches could in five minutes of blather.
‘‘She can tell me off or tell me to be better than I am without even having to raise her voice. It’s rare that someone can have such an effect on your life and not only do I refer to her as my coach, I also refer to her as a great friend and a family member now,’’ said Henry.
Same goes for the others. Back in the old days Grant would head round to Broughton’s house, where the cheese rolls were always just out of the oven.
In recent times Grant did the ‘‘catering,’’ ducking into Moore Wilson’s for something sweet to take to the coach’s apartment. Selby-Rickit would be there, too, going over game tapes. Henry came down from Hamilton on Wednesday to help Broughton move out.
Her ‘‘girls’’ always wanted to be around her because she made them laugh. Often intentionally, sometimes not.
Broughton didn’t mind being the butt of jokes. It was all part of making the players feel good about themselves as people.
New Zealand’s unlikely to be home for Leota, in the next few years. But if she’s low, or simply wants a good gossip, then it’s Broughton she’ll ring.
Selby-Rickit’s set for the biggest change. As pupil, player, assistant coach and friend, she’s seen Broughton most days for a decade now.
‘‘The best thing about Rob is she gets interested in your personal life. She makes sure you’re OK with your family and your friends and I will miss her a lot.’’