KEY POINTS:
Waimarama Taumaunu has been named as the assistant coach of the New Zealand netball team.
Her appointment, announced today and effective immediately, is through to the end of this year.
She replaces Leigh Gibbs, who stepped down as coach Ruth Aitken's assistant at the same time Aitken was reappointed to a four-year term in February.
Taumaunu, who played for the Silver Ferns from 1981 to 1991 and captained the team for the last three years, brings a wealth of experience to the role.
She has more than 20 years of coaching experience both in New Zealand and overseas.
She was the national performance director for All England Netball from 1998-2003 and was the assistant coach for England at the 2003 world championship.
Prior to that Taumaunu coached the New Zealand A team and been assistant coach of the Silver Ferns.
More recently she coached the Capital Shakers in last year's domestic National Bank Cup.
Netball New Zealand (NNZ) said Taumaunu's role as assistant coach would be on a part-time basis as she continued in her fulltime job at the State Services Commission.
NNZ chief executive Raelene Castle said Taumaunu had demonstrated a strong commitment to netball as well as a profound analytical and strategic approach to the game at an elite level.
"Waimarama is widely respected throughout the netball community and is a strategic thinker of the game."
Taumaunu is thrilled to take up the role.
"I believe I have real value to offer the sport and the role offers plenty of challenges and opportunities for me to contribute," she said.
- NZPA
