Cynna Kydd
CENTRAL Highlands Netball League powerhouse Springbank has secured two former Australian players to coach the club in 2013.
Husband-and-wife duo Garth and Cynna Kydd have been appointed as senior joint coaches and will be responsible for the A-grade side on match day.
Springbank netball manager Josie Donegan said the signing was a massive coup for the Tigers, who kick-start their campaign with pre-season training on Thursday night.
“We are thrilled. We are all about promoting and developing our club and we have a number of very strong juniors and young senior players that we would love to see progress as high and far as they possibly could,” Donegan said.
“We can’t rest on our laurels. Being reigning premiers (A-grade) means everyone is going to be after us. You’ve got to keep pushing yourself to be the best you can be.”
Highly-decorated Cynna, a 2003 World Championships silver medallist, arrives at the club after a season with Sturt in Ballarat Netball Association’s Athlete’s Foot Cup.
She is a former Melbourne Kestrels captain and Melbourne Phoenix player, who won the 2004 Commonwealth Bank Trophy Most Valuable Player Award.
Donegan said Cynna, a goal shooter, would join the club as a non-playing coach.
“Although Cynna will be non-playing, there’s plenty of other talented players out there that can see how she works, pick her brain or just watch what she does with the players. I think it will be tremendous for the club and the league,” Donegan said.
Cynna’s husband Garth, who is teaching in Ballarat, has represented the Australian men’s team at international level.
The duo, who moved to the region last year, take over from former coach Andrea Griffin, who has stood down from the role.
Springbank, which defeated Hepburn to win the 2012 premiership, launches its new season with an opening-round clash with Illabarook on April 13.
tim.oconnor@fairfaxmedia.com.au
