The Muster- Wendy Frew: Balancing Coaching and Parenting

Southern Steel coach Wendy Frew looks at the positive start to the ANZ Premiership, and as well how players adapt when moving to the south.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Sing us as the other piano man sing us as tonight. Well,
we're run in the mood forality. Welcome back to the Muster,
Wendy Frew as coach of Southern Steel. Bit of a
legend in South of netballing circles. If you think back
to the days of the Sting, Wendy certainly comes to mind,

(00:25):
and she's joining us this afternoon. It's fair to say
the Steel are having a stellar start to twenty twenty six. Wendy,
Welcome to the Muster. Thanks for the chat.

Speaker 2 (00:35):
Oh, thank you for having me. I'm excited to talk
with you.

Speaker 1 (00:39):
Society for me to to Oh, be honest, I've been
a netball novice for so long. I speak to Nathan
Burden on a frequent basis, and he's always talking about
the intricacies involved with the game, and I've taken a
bit more of an interests years. So I'm just coming
in a bit blind. I'm just putting it out there
and happy to Oh.

Speaker 2 (00:56):
I think that's exciting. I'm looking forward to your Christian
and yeah, seeing if you've done your research.

Speaker 1 (01:02):
As a sort of start to the year for the Steel,
results over the past two or three seasons haven't been
as good as they could have been, but this year
is so far, so good.

Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yeah, we've had a really good start. Obviously, round one
we didn't perform against the Technics and we got out
played in our class. But since then we've been on
track and had three really good ones against quality sides.
So certainly pretty happy of how we're going. But I'm
saying that we need to make sure we keep our
foot down, stay humble and yeah, just keep making sure
we're improving week and week out.

Speaker 1 (01:32):
Now, what's it like in a team like the Steel
with these players moving to the South and teaching them
the South on persona as such? Is it an issue?

Speaker 2 (01:40):
Now? The girls come down here from wherever they are
around the country or Australia, they really embrace the Southend
community and when we go to Duneta and they make
sure they embrace that too. So you know, it's up
to us as locals to show them the spots and
make sure they feel welcome. And I think with the
loyal fans we have down here, you could not feel
welcome at a place like this. We're so grateful for

(02:02):
the support we have and I know the girls come
down here and really enjoy it and you know, they're
shooting to the sum market getting recognized that. That's pretty
cool for those girls too.

Speaker 1 (02:11):
How would you describe the fans in the South put
it into words?

Speaker 2 (02:15):
Oh, they're such little fans fans down here, like they
just they actually just love the game and itl so
they rock into the stadium with all this Steel kid
and I guess they commentate a bit of the game too.
But yeah, we're just so lucky that we had such
a good following down here, and as players and the
management team, it's pretty cool when you're walking into that
stadium and it's you know, over two thousand people sitting

(02:36):
there cheering you on, and and certainly you know, out
and abound the community. There's a real vibe down here.
I'm loving obviously loving that we're getting the winds but performing,
so it's yeah, it's a really honor and it's a
real cool feeling.

Speaker 1 (02:48):
So how would you describe the state of netball in
South and as such?

Speaker 2 (02:53):
Oh, I think it's growing, like for ideally for us,
you know, and the Steel we want as many locals
as we can. So I think Kate Lloyd's now in
a role with the Nettle South to really start developing
those younger players and trying to bring those locals through,
you know, all those levels so that they can be
playing in that Steel Dress in a few years times.
So there's definitely something that I know as a focus

(03:14):
at the moment. And as we know, it's a really
high participated sport in Southend and throughout New Zealand, so
I think the game's growing. I think when you have
a franchise like the Steel and getting in the Dunedin
and the the Cargo community and all the outskirts of
those places, it's cool to you know, get the players
out there and make those little kids think I want
to play for the Steel on there.

Speaker 1 (03:36):
Now you look at the A and Z Premiership and
let's be honest, the issues regarding the money and the likes.
It's on free to wed TV this year, but Cracket
Canada the case it did wonders for their viewer numbers.
Do you think that's one of the positives you need
to take from the season.

Speaker 2 (03:50):
Yeah, I think we've got to look at positives. I
think netwill in the spot has been in the spot
like potentially for the wrong reason the last year with
a few of the situations that are. But what we
need to do is look at the positives. And I know,
for me as a coach, I'm trying to produce the
best metball I can with the team I've got and
ensuring that, you know, these girls are putting on good

(04:11):
spectacles for the fans that come and enjoy the game
and also for those ones that are lucky enough to
be watching it on TV. Now. I think it's pretty
exciting that the viewing numbers have really raised, and I
think that's cool, you know, credit to it being on
the three or three TV channels and stuff like that.
But in saying that, as a coach, you still want
the stadium fold and you want that presence from the

(04:33):
fans because it really does uplift the girls.

Speaker 1 (04:35):
So these players went to the Australian competition, is that
an ongoing concern?

Speaker 2 (04:42):
It's a hard one. I like, you know that you
look at the caliber of players that went over there,
and they're over there and they're performing in that competition.
I guess for me, we don't want to be losing
these players. We want the top New Zealand players in
air League because it obviously increases the skill level and
the performance of teams. So yeah, I I respect how
the girls that went there went there, and I can
see why. But yeah, obviously like them back in the

(05:05):
Kiwi compensition and you know they like the Kate hairf
like brilliant player and she's absolutely crushing it in Aussie
But I've sent in the Government and white dress also.

Speaker 1 (05:15):
Now Casey Coopoe and Luena Leanda de Brain back on
the court last week. Kid, what does that say about
the depth and netball in certain areas or is that
just a case of that's just how the playing stocks available.

Speaker 2 (05:28):
Yeah, it's a real hard one. I've been asked a
few questions on this this week, and I can see why,
you know, the topics being brought up. I guess for
a coach at this level, there's only teen rounds and
if you don't get wins on the board early, you're
chasing your chail come that back and you're relying on
other teams to win on those and obviously you don't,
you know, get a lot of wins at the tail

(05:49):
end of the season. So for these teams, you know,
we have training partners and it's certainly the plan to
bring training partners and win. There's injuries, but I guess
at times ten two's out. Sometimes it's a hype thing.
There's just so many factors that go on. If visit
and jed player and who you're going to pull in,
so ideally would love these young players coming through. I

(06:10):
guess I'm saying that with the Aussie's the keep girls
going to Aussie there has been more young players in
the league than we're probably seen in the past. So yeah,
I always think in New Zealand we can be improving
the depth and maybe it's shown a little bit that
we need to keep continuing to improve that depth, so
you know, young players can come into this environment and
get on the court.

Speaker 1 (06:30):
As far as coaching, how are you finding it doing
the transition from a player once upon a time to
putting yourself out there?

Speaker 2 (06:37):
Oh cheap as it's intense. I definitely went into it
a weaveit blind, obviously not being with a franchise before coaching. Obviously, Yeah,
I've played, but it's completely different ballgame as a player
as a coach. Sorry, so still learning, Like I'm only
year two, so coaches can be coaching at this level

(06:57):
for ten to fifteen years. So I've still got so
much so and saying that I'm really proud of what
I've been achieved in my short stint so far as coach.
For me, I really value the players and kind of
want to make sure they're okay outside of an able
environment with their personal lives, and then really try as
much as I can to improve them as nipples. I

(07:18):
guess for us, we've got an experienced team and there's
so many remarkable players that know the game inside out,
so you can lean on that too. But yeah, for me,
it's a real privilege or honor something I haven't taken
for granted. But yeah, it's certainly challenging, and I guess
having four younger kids, your life's pretty crazy, but it's
an enjoyable, enjoyable time at the same time.

Speaker 1 (07:39):
Yeah, you're talking about motherhood and travel. I mean you've
got the magic on Saturday traveling around the country of
a young family as a parent and as a coach.
Do you have to find that balance? Yeah?

Speaker 2 (07:50):
I don't have the balance that so I'm going to
be honest. I went last year from being a coach
saying right this year, I'll try to have a bit
of a balance, and it's really hard to juggle and
it's hurts your heart when your kids are geting upset
with your leave, and especially my young two they're only
six and five. But probably the hardest thing a bit
there is when you're home but you're not prison and
you're on the leffie and on the phone. So for me,

(08:12):
probably don't have that balance right, But I guess that's
the role as a coach and this and this performance
environment that you need to be available and you need
to put an effort. So I've certainly got some making
up to do that my family.

Speaker 1 (08:23):
Come joly, Hey, good on, you're Wendy. Thanks for the
chet that afternoon. All the best for the game, but
gets the menage at the weekend. Keep up the great
work and you're really good to catch up.

Speaker 2 (08:32):
Yeah, lovely catching up. Your cushions are spot on and
you've done your research.

Speaker 1 (08:35):
I thank God for that.

Speaker 2 (08:37):
Well done.

Speaker 1 (08:44):
Laugh out loud with ad proud, because life on the
land can be a laughing matter. Brought to us by
sheer Well Data working to help the livestock farmer. Blake
walks into a hardware store and grabs a care to
fly spray. Is this good for wasps?

Speaker 2 (08:58):
He asks?

Speaker 1 (08:59):
No, The assistant says it kills them a great to
catch up with Wendy Freeder as well out of the
Southern Steel. All the best for the week end. Hey,
that's a master over and done with this afternoon. Of course,
the show is brought to you by Peter's Genetics. I'm
Andy Mieller, Join the afternoon, See you tomorrow.