Central Pulse have appointed former Silver Fern Gail Parata as new head coach of the ANZ Premiership champions, replacing Yvette McCausland-Durie.
Parata will bring plenty of overseas coaching experience to the Pulse, after coaching the Scotland national team between 2013-19, leading the Thistles to two World Cups and two Commonwealth Games.
She previously served as Pulse assistant coach in 2010-11 and achieving the top job at the Wellington-based franchise has always been a goal of hers.
The Pulse have won the last two ANZ Premiership titles.
"I'm absolutely delighted, it has always been a goal of mine.'' she says.
"It's a 'put the work in, get the rewards' type of thing and has gone full journey. Back in the day, I wasn't an experienced head coach, but took the punt to go overseas and it was the best decision I made.''
Earlier this year, she assisted Dame Noeline Taurua during the SIlver Ferns' Nations Cup tour to England, while also serving in an advisory capacity with the Mystics during this year’s ANZ Premiership.
She feels all her past experiences have her ready for the top job at the Pulse.
"I know I'm going to be dealing with different types of athletes at the Pulse, but our game is still the same and now it's just about working at different levels," she says.
"I absolutely think all the experiences I've had and places I've been have set me up well for the Pulse job.
"I qualified the Scottish team for two World Cups and a Commonwealth Games. When I arrived in Scotland, they were fourth in the UK rankings, behind England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and I managed to get them up to second."
"There were lots of challenges over there, but I loved my time, loved the people, the athletes were great and I got a tremendous amount of learning from the experience."
Parata played one test for the Silver Ferns in 1996.
