Southland's favourite Australian returns 'home'
“It’s really nice to be back in [Invercargill], nothing’s changed. Although I haven’t been in town yet, I do know that’s changed.”
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It took about 10 metres for the hugs to start when Natalie Avellino walked through the ILT Stadium Southland doors this week.
In some way, Avellino was home.
ILT Stadium Southland was where the former Australian international netballer played some of her best netball with the Southern Sting. While Invercargill was also where she met her partner Terry Laidlaw. The couple now have a daughter together.
The now 52-year-old came to play a season with the Sting in 2004 but ended up heading back to Sydney to live in 2018.
She is back in Invercargill this week ready for a weekend of netball in her new role as NSW Swifts’ assistant coach. The Swifts will play games against the Southern Steel and Central Pulse at ILT Stadium Southland.
One of those who messaged Avellino when she was announced as the Swifts’ assistant coach last year was her former Sting teammate Reinga Bloxham who now coaches the Steel.
The pair joked they should arrange a preseason game, before it soon turned serious.
The two organisations’ CEOs started to talk and eventually agreed to make it happen.
There were few happier than Avellino when it was all signed off and sorted.
She hasn’t been back to Invercargill for three years, largely because of Covid-19 restrictions, and was thrilled to return to a place which is still special to her.
“It’s really nice to be back in this place, nothing’s changed. Although I haven’t been in town yet, I do know that’s changed.”
Avellino carved out some special netball memories both playing and coaching in Southland, including winning titles with the Sting.
She also was the player-coach when Southland won the national netball championship for the first time in 49 years in 2008.
On top of that, Avellino also had an impact coaching at Southland Girls’ High School and the Southland Men’s team.
Although it wasn’t all high-fiving and smiles while involved in netball during her time in Southland. There were a couple of tough years as she transitioned into coaching at a high-performance level.
Avellino was named co-coach with the Southern Steel in 2012 alongside Janine Southby. The next year she dropped to an assistant coach position under Southby.
The following year - four games into the 2013 season - Avellino was sacked by the Steel. The Steel, at the time, cited a breakdown in her relationship with Southby.
A decade on Avellino concedes it was a tough time for her.
“The first year wasn’t too bad, but still a little bit challenging. The second year it wasn’t my most enjoyable coaching experience.
“It’s a shame because we had some really good players in that team, it was when Janielle Fowler came over, look at her now.
“We had some good players it was just an interesting dynamic.
“How we did things was different, being an assistant coach now the opportunities I have been given are certainly different from what I was given back them.
“It really hurt time for a long time. There were other opportunities come up, [but] that really hit me hard and I was quite wary.”
After being let go by the Steel Avellino returned to coaching through Southland Girls’ High School, which she enjoyed.
When she moved back to Sydney the former Australia player continued to coach at school level before in 2020 dipping her toes back into coaching at an elite level.
She was recruited to do some work with the NSW Swifts shooters. About one day a week.
Although that role was limited through Covid-19 when the Swifts went into a hub and Avellino was unable to attend trainings.
When previous assistant coach Bec Bulley landed a head coaching role for the 2023 season, with the Queensland Firebirds, there was an opening.
Avellino applied and was thrilled to get the job and link fulltime with head coach Briony Akle. Akle will lead the team’s defence and Avellino the attack.
Avellino agrees it would have been disappointing for her time as a high-performance coach to end with her sacking a decade ago.
“Even when I went back to Sydney, I doubted myself, ‘am I good enough?’. And it made it difficult for me.
“But once I got involved with the Swifts, I loved being involved in high performance again.”
“Briony is really good. She is not a coach who says; ‘I’m the coach and you’re just watching’. She allows me to coach and take the lead at times. That’s just the person she is, it’s inclusive and everyone has a say.’’
The Swifts’ trip to Invercargill will be their first chance to get out on court for a proper preseason fixture leading into Australia’s 2023 Super Netball competition.
To date, they’ve just had an internal hit-out last week which included inviting in some players to play.
The Swifts will take on the Steel at 2pm on Sunday at ILT Stadium Southland before returning to play the Central Pulse on Monday at 2pm.
The Steel and Pulse will clash at 12 noon on Tuesday.
“It’s great for us to come and play against different teams and not always playing against Aussie teams. And to just look and learn a different style. The Steel and the Pulse are both good teams,” Avellino says.
The games in Invercargill will be a little different from what will face them in the Australian competition given Super Netball features two-point shots and rolling subs, something that has not been implemented in New Zealand.
Despite leaving Invercargill over four years ago Avellino still had plenty of connections with the current Steel team.
She played alongside coach Bloxham at the Sting, as she did with defender Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit.
Avellino was an assistant coach of the New Zealand Secondary Schools team which included new Steel recruit Sam Winders, and she also coached Kate Hartley from Year 10 through to Year 13 at Southland Girls’ High School.
Keen to take in the preseason netball action? Click here to book your tickets.