Norma Plummer

Our Great Coach on this episode is Norma Plummer.

Norma played Netball for Australia and was part of the 1975 team that won the World Netball Championships. In 1996 she coached the Melbourne Pumas to win the inaugural Super League Grand Final and Victorian Open Championship.

In 2003 she was appointed coach of the Australian Team, leading them to 67 victories from 89 Tests, including the 2007 and 2011 the Netball World Championship.

In 2015 she took on the job as Head Coach of South Africa and retired in 2019 having taken them from a world ranking of 8th to 4th.

In 2013 Norma was s awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for her services to the sport of Netball.

Norma is iconic coach whose influence has spread far beyond the sport of netball. She is unflinchingly honest, and passionate in her belief of treating all athletes fairly and equally.

Her coaching career has spanned 6 decades and representative teams from 4 countries, and from this experience she is able to distill deep truths on human effort and collaboration which are still fresh and relevant today.

We spoke while Norma was in lockdown in her home in Australia, and she was frustrated by this as she wanted to be courtside in NZ watching Jess Thrilby, the coach of the England team, who she mentors take on the silver ferns. However this trapped energy provided the impetus for a great conversation, so of the highlights of which were:

• The importance of bringing your own personality and style as a coach, but also understanding the history of the team so that you can identify the right change that is needed. And how this change might only just be one thing, but if it’s the right thing it can make a big difference.
• The importance of training under pressure so that it improves your decision making in the game.
• And The positive impact you can have on the team as a coach, if you are able to manage your emotions.

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