New goals in coaching and clothing
Wendy Frew is still coming to terms with retirement, but netball remains front of mind, writes Jamie Searle.
Retired netball star Wendy Frew says it’s been difficult adjusting to not being in the Southern Steel team.
It’s understandable because she played for either Steel or Southern Sting for 16 years before bowing out in 2018.
‘‘I’ve missed it more than I thought I would . . . I’m probably still dealing with it,’’ Frew said.
‘‘I miss the girls, miss the environment and miss [playing] the game.’’
Netball was her life having played it at all levels, including the Silver Ferns in 2008-09.
‘‘It was an amazing journey. I’d love to go back but I won’t . . . I’m retired.’’
Although her playing days
‘‘I miss the girls, miss the environment and miss the game.’’ Wendy Frew
are over, netball still remains at the forefront of her mind as she continues the transition into coaching.
Frew has helped Steel coaches with training sessions and will travel with the team to the annual pre-season competition at Otaki this week. The competition, featuring the ANZ Premiership teams, runs from Friday to Sunday.
The team is working towards the start of the 2020 ANZ Premiership, which for the Steel begins with a showdown against the Waikato/BOP Magic in Dunedin on March 16.
She has also set up Wendy Frew Netball, which specialises in coaching schoolchildren.
It started a month ago with clinics at Stadium Southland (Invercargill, Mondays) and Central Southland Netball Centre (Winton, Tuesdays).
‘‘I want to help build strength into netball in Southland and what better way to do it than with the kids,’’ Frew said.
‘‘[The clinics] are something I’m going to get into [more] but at the moment I’m going to do wee pieces around my family life.’’
She is a member of Netball New Zealand’s High Performance advisory panel. Frew also owns a small clothing manufacturing business specialising in casual gear for all ages. Her clothing label is: Who Told Ya That.
On Saturday she coached 24 children, mostly from the Takitimu Netball Club, at the Otautau sports complex. The three areas she concentrated on were basic skills, ball handling and fitness.
Frew was one of several advisers at the club’s first such two-day event. Others gave advice on umpiring, nutrition, yoga (for breathing and relaxing) and swimming pool sessions (to help recover from games).
President Cindy Adams said for the children to learn from Frew and other experts was valuable to growing the club.
‘‘To have Wendy here is amazing.
‘‘Our goal is to help them [children] with skills and to make it fun.’’