Georgie Salter. Photo / Herald Archive
Former Silver Ferns player and Otago Rebels coach Georgie Salter died on Wednesday night.
North Otago Netball posted the following tribute on social media yesterday.
"It is with great sadness that we farewell Georgie Salter.
"This amazing woman passed away peacefully ... surrounded by all her family, telling stories and singing waiata.
"The family are doing Maori tangi at home until Friday evening and then on Saturday will take her to be privately cremated.
"Our love and thoughts are with her family."
Salter, who was in her late 60s, got her start in representative netball for Eastern Southland and went on to play for the Silver Ferns in 1974-75.
But it was in coaching Salter arguably made her greatest contribution to the sport.
The highlight of her coaching career came in 1998 when she guided the Otago Rebels to the inaugural Coca-Cola Cup and backed up by leading the Otago team to its first national title in 66 years.
Salter, whose niece is Steel coach Reinga Bloxham, came out of retirement in December 2016 to coach Netball South in the Beko League.
In an interview with the Oamaru Mail at the time she said it was her way of helping Bloxham by building talent at the level below the Steel.
"Having a North Otago person coaching players from throughout Otago and Southland makes that connection really strong and the more we can do that, the better," she said.
Salter also coached the New Zealand under-21 team and had a stint as a technical adviser to the Cook Islands team.
Silver Ferns goal shoot Grace Nweke speaks about the Constellation Cup series and the rivalry against the Diamonds in the final match. Video / Alyse Wright