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Hertfordshire Mavericks Announce Their NSL Coaching Team for Season 2015-16

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Hertfordshire Mavericks Announce Their NSL Coaching Team for Season 2015-16 Hertfordshire Mavericks Announce their NSL Coaching Team for Season 2015-16 Hertfordshire Mavericks are delighted to announce they have reappointed Sam Bird as the Hertfordshire Mavericks Head Coach and she is to be joined by Mel Mansfield and New Zealander Robyn Broughton as her two assistant coaches for this season’s Superleague campaign. We are delighted that Mel has re-signed her coaching contract following her move to Hertfordshire Mavericks last year from Surrey Storm. As well as being the assistant coach Mel will continue to focus as the specialist shooting coach for the squad this year. Robyn joins this coaching team having been Head Coach for two ANZ teams since 2008 (Southern Steel and Central Pulse). She has also been the Assistant Coach for the New Zealand Silver Ferns and a New Zealand National Selector. Robyn will be working predominantly with the Defending end of the squad. Sam Bird said: “I am really pleased to be reappointed as Head Coach again and be joined by Mel and Robyn. Having spoken with Robyn about the role, I am very excited to welcome her to Hertfordshire Mavericks and to introduce her to our new long squad, coaches, staff and sponsors. We have some great pre- season matches this year against Scotland, Northern Ireland, Surrey Storm, Team Bath and Loughborough Lightning and this will be a chance to work together in a competitive environment before the Superleague starts”. The trio of coaches will also coach the newly formed Mavericks U23 Squad that will compete in a new “bridging” competition against Surrey Storm, Loughborough Lightening, Team Northumbria, Manchester Thunder and Yorkshire Jets over three Saturdays in October and November. Robyn Broughton Biography: Robyn (Officer of the New Zealand Merit) is a New Zealand netball coach from Invercargill at the south of the South Island. She coached the Southern Sting from 1998–2007 during the National Bank Cup era, winning seven titles in ten years. Robyn also coached a touring World 7 side (comprising of retired or former international players from New Zealand, with current players from England, Jamaica and Samoa) against the Australian national netball team in a one-off test in 2009, after three tests against the Silver Ferns. The team was not expected to win but Broughton and her side picked up one of the biggest results in international netball with a 52-43 win. The World 7 side included players such as Donna Wilkins her Southern Steel shooter), along with English international defenders Geva Mentor and Sonia Mkloma plus current English mid court player Tamsin Greenway. New Zealand Silver Fern squad member and Steel midcourter Wendy Telfer, Northern Mystics' Debbie White and New Zealand–based Samoans Frances Solia and Catherine Latu were also part of the side. In 2010, Robyn was asked to head a new project and take over as coach of the FastNet Ferns team, who play at the annual World Fastnet Series. The Fastnet Ferns defeated England in the 2010 final in Liverpool, retaining the FastNet Series title. Robyn was commended in her role as Head Coach. She was an assistant coach for the New Zealand National Team the Silver Ferns from 2000–02, and has been a National Selector. She has been involved with numerous NZ Age group teams including Coach of the NZAs and assistant to the NZ Young Internationals. She has a particular interest in coaching Secondary School netball. From 2007 Robyn coached the Southern Steel in the ANZ Championship for four years and then moved to coach the Central Pulse in the ANZ up until joining Hertfordshire Mavericks. Robyn is an Otago University qualified PE teacher and has had significant success with her school teams in secondary schools netball. During her playing career she was a NZ trialist and represented and captained Otago, Southland and New Zealand Universities. She was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MBE) in 2004, and was promoted to Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (OBE) in 2012 for services to netball and the community. Robyn is married to Warren and has a daughter Kirsty and two sons Michael and Nicholas, the latter has played rugby for Scotland. Mel Mansfield Biography: Mel is a UKCC Level 3 Netball Coach (March 2014) and England Netball coach tutor. Mel was an England Player (GS) from 1993-1998. She played for Middlesex County Netball Squad for 10 years. Mel’s passion for coaching began when she was a player, but began to increase about 12 years ago. Mel has coached all sorts of ages, from 6 to 60 year olds and has been involved in elite coaching since 2009. Mel was assistant coach to Surrey Storm NSL for 4 seasons, initially under the guidance of her former England coach, Mary Beardwood and then Tamsin Greenway. This is the 2nd season where Mel is the Head coach of the University of Hertfordshire netball performance programme. Last season the UH Netball team gained promotion to the BUCS Premier League for the first time. Mel is a Senior Lecturer in Diagnostic Radiography at the University of Hertfordshire, having trained at Guy’s Hospital London. She has a Masters Degree in Education . Also, Head Coach at Priory Netball Club and Head of Netball at “uPlay Netball”, part of uPlay Sports Management Limited. Mel is married to Martin and has two children Edward and Katherine. Sam Bird Biography: Sam played WA/C for England at U16, U18, U21 and senior levels from 1985-1994. She played for England in World Youth Cup and the World Games as well as a number of Test Series. Sam retired early through a series of recurring knee injuries. Sam played for Bedfordshire County from the age of 12 in the U16, U18, U21 and Senior sides. Sam then played for Essex Met Seniors thereafter having moved to London to study and work. Sam became an assistant coach at Essex Met County. Sam also played for New Cambell Netball club and won the National Clubs competition on several occasions with the team coached by Pat Watson and Jillean Hipsey. Sam has coached with the Mavericks since its inception in 2005. Sam was appointed Head Coach of Mavericks in 2014. Sam remains passionate about the development and success of the England netball team and is a current England Selector. Sam, is a lawyer for the Commissioner of Police in the Metropolitan Police Service, London. She holds a Masters degree in International Law from Queen Mary College London Sam is married to Jason Beer QC with two children Lewis and Daisy. .
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