Queensland Firebirds appoint New Zealander Kiri Wills as new coach
The struggling Queensland Firebirds have turned to a former New Zealand under-21 coach to revive their fortunes.
Netball
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Former New Zealand under-21 mentor Kiri Wills has been appointed new coach of the Queensland Firebirds.
Wills, who also guided the Fast5 Ferns, is expected to bring some coaching stability to the Firebirds after a 2024 Super Netball season on upheaval.
Bec Bully was axed in June by the struggling club, with her replacement, former assistant Lauren Brown, stepping down after only one game.
Assistant coach Katie Walker took charge for the remainder of the season and was aided by Netball Queensland’s head of talent and development Roselee Jencke.
“I am honoured and excited about coaching the Queensland Firebirds,” Wills said.
“Players and coaches around the world look on with envy at the calibre of the Suncorp Super Netball competition, so it is a giant step for me.
“The Firebirds have a history of being a formidable club and I am looking forward to rolling my sleeves up and working in partnership with the players, the team staff and Netball Queensland to work our way back to the top.”
Firebirds chief executive Kate Davies sad Wills had “extensive experience coaching at the high-performance level” and a “proven track record in talent identification and development”.
“At every step of the thorough recruitment process, Kiri displayed not just her extensive netball knowledge but also her capabilities with implementing and leading a whole-of-club strategy to foster a team performance culture of the highest standard,” Davies said.
“We feel that Kiri has the tools to create a high-performance culture at the Firebirds that is anchored in identity, meaning and positivity combined with serious credibility in technical and tactical coaching to enable our club to achieve the success we all crave.”
Originally published as Queensland Firebirds appoint New Zealander Kiri Wills as new coach
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