What they said: Tributes flow for Southland sporting royalty
Unsurprisingly there has been an outpouring of love and plenty of memories shared since Robyn Broughton’s death on Tuesday.
Few have had a bigger impact on the pride of Southland than Robyn Broughton, given her role at the helm of the Southern Sting netball team.
The Sting won seven titles over a decade under her watch prompting fanfare and street parades in the region.
Unsurprisingly there has been an outpouring of love, and plenty of memories shared, since Broughton’s death on Wednesday.
We’ve wrapped up some of what has been said.
“The respect the people in that community had for Robbie, whether it was the Sting or Verdon College where she coached, you just had to walk up the street with her and you saw the mana that she had within the community. I’m forever grateful I got to experience that,” Former Silver Ferns captain Adine Wilson told Stuff.
“She just really grew me as a person, and a player. She had such good guidance off the court and on it she was such a remarkable coach. I’m so grateful to have had my time with her, she definitely moulded me.
“I’ve been having some good convos with mates over the last 24 hours reminiscing about the fun times we had and what it did for (Southland),’’ Former Southern Sting & Steel player Wendy Frew told The Southland Times.
“She was so down to earth, but she just opened up her whole home to all of us. We would stay with Robyn and just the way her whole family welcomed us in.
“That was Robyn at the helm. She had so much expertise and experience in coaching, but she was always researching and looking up new ways and new ideas to bring to training. She was almost ahead of her time in many ways,” Former Southern Sting captain Bernice Mene told Stuff.
"Robyn sparked a netball revolution in Southland and ignited a sense of southern pride which continues to burn bright.
"Her impact on our game was immeasurable. Legend isn't a word you bestow on someone lightly but Robyn was truly deserving of that status and well-respected by all who had the honour of being coached by her.
"Her legacy undoubtedly lives on in all of those players she mentored - many of whom have gone on to carve their own successful coaching careers,” Netball South CEO Sonya Fleming said.
“I used to be so competitive wanting to beat the Sting with our players and especially who the Sting had at the time – all the hot shots.
“I loved after the game, win or lose, we’d always have a glass of wine and a bit of natter,” Former Canterbury Flames coach Marg Foster told Stuff.
Robyn’s coaching record can’t be questioned. She took Verdon College to the top of secondary school netball in New Zealand.
Her teams dominated the first decade of professional netball in New Zealand. She is a life member of Southland netball and Netball New Zealand. She was a selector and assistant coach with the Silver Ferns,” Former Southland Times netball writer Nathan Burdon wrote in a Southland Tribune column.
“Robyn Broughton was an incredible woman that gave a huge amount to our game, the most successful domestic coach in our history, winning seven titles in the National Bank Cup,” a Netball New Zealand statement said.
“She was a Netball New Life Member, Silver Ferns assistant coach and a mentor to many of the coaches who now in the Netball NZ High Performance system. She had a huge impact on the players and people she came in contact with her and made Southland the true home of Netball in her time.” A written New Zealand Netball statement.
“She just had that real edge. Have a look at those finals we won and I think maybe one was reasonably comfortable. The rest we scraped home. She knew how to get the very best out of a player right to the end,’’ Former SouthernTeamCo board member Lee Piper told The Southland Times.