Steel appoint new coach

Reinga Bloxham has been appointed head coach of the Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel for the 2017 ANZ Netball Elite League.

After three years as assistant coach of the Club, Bloxham is excited to take the helm in 2017.

“It’s definitely been a goal and more so in the last couple of years. The pathway has become clearer and I’ve been looking forward to this opportunity,” Bloxham said.

“The Steel brand itself has a great history and feel about it. I’m excited to continue that but also a little apprehensive at times because I think about the amazing people who I’m following, their legacies and what they’ve brought to this team.

“But I am myself and I have new things to offer and a different way of doing things. I’m looking forward to jumping into it.”

Bloxham is no stranger to the demands of the Club environment from a player’s perspective, representing one of Steel’s predecessors the seven-time championship-winning Southern Sting for five seasons – 1998-99, 2001-2002 and 2004.

“It’s an absolute privilege to coach this Club. Being home-grown, I know what the people here are all about and they always support you so I think it’s really nice for me to feel like I have that behind me to take forward. We look after our own here and try to develop our own which is fantastic,” she said.

Bloxham says she is excited by the challenges of the new ANZ Netball Elite League.

“It’s going to be awesome. Taking it back to a domestic league, we will be able to really develop our kiwi style of the game,” Bloxham said.