4 Mar 2011

Netball Fiji draft in high-profile coaching duo

10:09 am on 4 March 2011

Netball Fiji have drafted in former Silver Ferns boss Yvonne Willering and Melbourne Vixens coach Julie Hoornweg to assist the national team.

Willering - a former Fiji coach - will join the team shortly while Hoornweg will arrive next month.

Netball Fiji President Wainikiti Bogidrau says financial restrictions meant they were forced to appoint local coaches last year.

She says the vastly experienced duo will help head coach Gabriel Qoro and assistant Una Rokoura as they ready the team the world champs in Singapore in July.

"We realised that our coaches needed assistance with preparing this team. This is the first time that Fiji has appointed local coaches for some time now. Although they have a lot of experience they do need some expert advice from expert coaches, so we got in touch with Julie and Yvonne and they were more than willing to come and assist us."

Wainikiti Bogidrau says the duo will also assess the current Fiji coaching set-up and pass on any advice that will help prepare the team better.