After the biggest and best Netball NSW Premier League competition to date, we chatted to former Swifts captain Abbey McCulloch (pictured above, far right) who was the recipient of the Margaret Corbett Coach of the Year Award.
Margaret Corbett OAM is an icon in the coaching arena of netball and has served Netball NSW for many decades. She holds Life Membership of Netball NSW and is an inductee in the Hall of Fame, and one of only four who hold Legend status – the organisation’s highest honour.
The Award is provided in recognition of a coach who displays excellence in coaching within competitions conducted by Netball NSW.
In 2022 McCulloch led the Sutherland Stingrays U23s to their first Premier League title, while she was also a key member of the QBE Swifts Academy coching staff.
Below she tells us what the Award means to her.
Abbey in action for the Swifts in 2017. Picture Netball NSW- What does this award mean to you?
This Award means the world to me, especially given the naming rights. I owe a lot to Margaret Corbett; she was particularly important in the early stages of my career. She believed in me, encouraged me and even though she said I was a bit naughty sometimes we had a lot of fun!
I've devoted all of my adult life to netball, first as a player and now as a coach. It is what I do every day as Head of Netball at Westfields Sports High School, after school with my coaching business Per4orm Netball, my role as a Junior Representative and Premier League Coach and also as part of the Netball NSW Work Force.
I love coaching, so while I never needed recognition it was a very nice way to cap off a successful year.
- Why do you enjoy what you do?
It is really important to me to be able to provide young players with an environment that they can thrive in. As a player I was exposed to a variety of coaches, all of which I learnt something from, sometimes what to do and other times what not to do. I feel like from those experiences I have been able to really develop my personal coaching philosophy and provide athletes, regardless of age and ability, with a space to improve and develop their love for the game, so that is probably what I enjoy the most.
Seeing the "I get it" moment players understand something and implement it in a game, seeing that "I can do this" moment when players take the next step they have been working towards. It is really rewarding to know I've played a small roll in their journey.
- What is your favourite memory in your time in Netball?
My favourite coaching memory to date would have to be winning the Premier League Premiership this year with the Stingrays U23s. I know how much time and effort the girls put in to ensure we were successful and watching them all thrive in the environment was certainly a highlight.
As a player, my favourite memory would have to be a combination of the years I spent playing professionally. You're never guaranteed a contract and I had to work hard for every single one of mine so to have played at that level for as a long as I did. To have played in three Grand Finals, with and against the best players in the world and to captain the Swifts is something I will cherish forever.
- How has Premier League aided your journey?
Premier League has been such an important step in my coaching journey. It has reinforced my love for coaching and has challenged me to continue to develop specific and worthwhile training sessions and to consider and reflect on my sideline decisions. Premier League is such a competitive and encouraging environment that I will miss in 2023 as I step away to have my first child, but I don't think I can stay away for too long.
- What advice would you give to other coaches on the pathway?
The best advice I have is to remember that regardless of how far into your coaching journey you are, you will never know everything. The game is constantly evolving the athletes are changing and therefore as a coach it is our responsibility to continue to develop our skills, understanding and knowledge of the game to ensure we are providing the best environment, advice and knowledge to players. At the end of the day a coach's job is to facilitate the learning of athletes and keep them in the game… for me it is all about them.
