Former Tall Ferns Captain Leanne Walker has been named as one of 16 Women Coaches from 15 different sports across Aotearoa New Zealand selected for High Performance Sport New Zealand’s second intake to Te Hāpaitanga, a women’s coach development initiative. Basketball New Zealand endorsed Walker’s application.
Te Hāpaitanga – the act of elevating, lifting and empowering.
Te Hāpaitanga is one of a number of HPSNZ initiatives in their ongoing commitment to Women in High Performance Sport. It is a holistic coach development initiative designed to enable more females to pursue and maintain a career in high performance coaching in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Over 18 months Te Hāpaitanga will provide these 16 women coaches a range of opportunities that test and develop their coaching capability and allow them to develop new skills to navigate a complex and challenging career in high performance sport.
The 16 Women Coaches are:
- Lucy Brown, Snow Sports, Queenstown
- Fiona Burke, Rowing, Cambridge
- Danielle Cranston, Hockey, Auckland
- Elyse Fraser, Cycling, Christchurch
- Alana Gunn, Football, Christchurch
- Honey Hireme-Smiler, Rugby League, Hamilton
- Krystal Kaua, Rugby Sevens, Mount Maunganui
- Arna Masjstrovic, Surf Life Saving, Gisborne
- Terena Ranui, Football, Hamilton
- Tamara Reed, Triathlon, Palmerston North
- Julie Seymour, Netball, Christchurch
- Holly Sullivan, Boxing, Christchurch
- Heelan Tompkins, Equestrian, Rotorua
- Leanne Walker, Basketball, Hamilton
- Emily Willock, Canoe Racing, Gisborne
- Angela Winstanley-Smith, Water Polo, Christchurch
Head of High Performance Leondard King says this is a great acknowledgement for not only Leanne Walker, but also women’s basketball which growing each year.
“Congratulations to Leanne who has devoted so much to women’s basketball. She absolutely deserves this opportunity. I know this programme is an excellent one and I’m certain she will gain a great deal from this opportunity.
“We also acknowledge HPSNZ’s continued investment in women’s sport, which is also a priority for Basketball New Zealand. We are always looking to work closely with HPSNZ and work collaboratively to develop female leaders in our sport,” says King.
In 2020 HPSNZ announced the inaugural intake of 12 women coaches to Te Hāpaitanga. Those women are now reaching the final stages of their 18-month journey.
Te Hāpaitanga connects emerging female coaches with their peers and established female high performance coaches providing mentoring and inspiration. The initiative accelerates the growth and development of emerging female coaches by mitigating current and future challenges to pursuing a career in high performance coaching. And it works by integrating the national sporting organisation (NSO) and an experienced coach mentor into each coach’s development journey for better access to existing resources, knowledge and experiences.
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