Dr Patricia Butcher has hinted at the appointment of former Australian netball and New Zealand assistant coach, Vickie Wilson as Technical Director to the T&T Netball Association in the near future.
Butcher made this disclosure while addressing a small gathering at a welcome reception held for the T&T “Calypso Girls” from the 14th Netball World Cup which ended in Sydney, Australia on Sunday.
The function which lasted little over an hour was held on the team’s arrival home at the VIP Lounge, Piarco International Airport on Tuesday morning.
Commenting on the ninth placed finish in the 16-team competition, by the Joelisa Cooper captained T&T women, Butcher said the team was capable of doing great things, but needed help.
She said, “Our team possesses the necessary netball talent to get back at the top, but the association does not even have the technical person that can take us there.”
“I’m not saying this to pull down anyone in T&T, but if we as a sport have to advance in terms of modern and scientific techniques, we need assistance at the highest level.
“So while in Australia my discussions were with people like Vickie Wilson, a former top Australian netball captain and player, who served as the assistant coach of the New Zealand team at the just concluded World Cup and she is willing to come down here and assist us.”
Butcher made it clear that should the 50-year-old Wilson, a three-time world champion (1991, 1995, 1999) be appointed she expect no friction with current national coach, Wesley “Pepe” Gomes.
As a former Australian Diamonds captain, Wilson is one of netball’s most successful players with three World Championship gold medals and one Commonwealth Games gold medal to her credit.
She played for the Australian national netball side for fifteen years and was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 1992.
After retiring in 1999, Wilson has forged a successful career coaching at an elite level, most recently with the Queensland Firebirds from 2006, continuing in the ANZ Championship for two years until the 2009 season.
With regards to the expected communication between both coaches Butcher added, “ “Pepe” has already told us that he is willing to get assistance from the highest level and we have had before this two other Australians who have assisted us in the past with Government’s help and I am appealing to Government at this time to give us the assistance once more, and we certainly will be able to achieve the highest potential in netball.”
Over the years, T&T has had the benefit of two former Australian as Technical Directors.
First in 2007, former Australian national player Sharon Finnan was appointed by then T&TNA president Austrid Rochford to prepare the “Calypso Girls” for the 2007 World Netball Championship (WNC) in New Zealand where it placed 11th, its worst ever finish.
Then in 2010, Butcher appointed Australian technical consultant Karen Worland, a credited Level Three High Performance Netball Coaching for a one year stint.
World was responsible for basic entry coach education development, as well as preparing the national squads for the 2011 American Federation of Netball Associations (AFNA) World Championships Qualifying Tournament in St Lucia and the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
She eventually returned to Australia while T&T with Grace Parkinson Griffith at the helm ended seventh at the Singapore 2011 Netball World Cup, its best finish since 1995, Birmingham, England.
MORE INFO
Vicki Wilson
Personal information
Born: February 11, 1965 (age 50)
Brisbane, Australia
University: Queensland University of Technology
Netball career
Playing position(s): Goal Shoot
Netball World Championships
Gold medal: 1999 Christchurch; Gold medal: 1995 Birmingham; Gold medal: 1991 Sydney; Silver medal: 1987 Glasgow
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal: 1998 Kuala Lumpur
Coaching History
Coaching accreditation
High Performance Coach 2006 (Netball Australia)