Iconic Kiwi coach confirmed as speaker

The iconic coach of the country's most successful netballing franchise, the Southern Sting, has been confirmed as a guest speaker at the Wairarapa Sports Education Trust dinner to be held in Masterton on Saturday, August 11.
Robyn Broughton has taken Southern Sting to all 10 finals of the now-defunct National Bank Cup competition and the Invercargill-based side has won on seven occasions.
This year's success was perhaps the most memorable of all their victories with the Sting going goal-for-goal with Force from North Shore and, in the end, taking the honours by just the one goal.
A school teacher in normal life, Broughton is a former assistant coach of the Silver Ferns and, understandably, WSET officials are excited about their acquiring of her to join former Aussie rugby star, and now popular media commentator, Peter Fitzsimons as a guest speaker at their major fund raising function.
WSET spokesman Craig McBride said Broughton's rural background and close affinity with the challenges confronted in the production of champion athletes guaranteed she would be a major drawcard.
As would the news that current Black Caps cricket coach John Bracewell and local rugby legend Sir Brian Lochore would also be in attendance and likely to participate formally in some manner.
A situation which will give the dinner something of a World Cup theme as the Black Caps were beaten semi-finalists at that level earlier this year and the All Blacks and the Silver Ferns are in the throes of their Cup preparations.
"We are very happy to have managed to attract a variety of personnel who can comment knowledgeably on all aspects of sport," McBride said.
The actual format of the dinner will closely mirror that of last year's highly successful function with the opportunity being provided for the speakers to mix freely with those in attendance.
An auction of sporting memorabilia will also be part of the entertainment package with McBride saying indications there were already "very promising" as regards the number and quality of items on offer.
He also noted that ticket sales were going particularly well with less than a dozen tables still available for prospective attendees.
"Last year all the tickets sold out three weeks prior to the event and we could do even better this time in that respect," he said.