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Outgoing Pulse boss courts a new challenge

Brendon Egan

Winning titles is nice, but it’s the impact in the community that’s been most satisfying for Fran Scholey.

Netball Central’s chief executive will finish in the role in late June after five years in the job.

Scholey is moving onto a fresh challenge as the chief executive of Special Olympics New Zealand and will remain in Wellington.

‘‘I can’t think of a more rewarding organisation to work for,’’ she said of her looming job change.

‘‘I sat back and thought what have I achieved here and how much more can I add and can I develop my skillset and offer that to another organisation.’’

the Netball Central Central’s Pulse, flagship have thrived team, during Scholey’s time with the organisation. She was quick to point out it was a collaborative effort and many individuals had been critical to the team’s on-court results.

The Pulse captured three ANZ Premiership titles while Scholey was CEO, earning their first title in 2019 and going back-to-back in 2020 during a Covid-19 impacted season. They became the most successful team in ANZ Premiership history last year, winning their third title. A last gasp 53-52 loss to the Stars in Sunday’s elimination final meant there would be no dream farewell for departing coach Yvette McCausland-Durie, who has finished up after nine years with the team across several stints. While it was great to see the Pulse doing well, Scholey was just as proud of the work the team had done in the wider community. One of her fondest memories was the relationship they had built with major commercial partner, Te Wānanga o Raukawa – a Māori tertiary provider in Otaki The Pulse adopted Te Wānanga o Raukawa’s 10 kaupapa (principles), which includes pūkengatanga (the pursuit of excellence), kotahitanga (working together), Te Reo Māori (the promotion and revival of Te Reo), and whakapapa (genealogy and the importance of family).

The team embraced Māori culture and Te Reo language and have inspired other sports teams in New Zealand to do similar.

‘‘One of the most authentic and from a personal perspective amazing opportunities I’ve had is working with Te Wānanga o Raukawa.

‘‘We’ve only created small ripples in the revitalisation of Te Reo Māori, but that was never an outcome or a goal we set out about. It was a partnership on how we could work together and what we could both bring.’’

Scholey was chief executive at a challenging time during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, where the community game was impacted.

Netball Central worked hard in those times to reduce the affiliation fee the zone charged for their centres to be able to deliver netball into the community and foster the game. ‘‘We changed the affiliation fee and reduced $100,000 back into the community.’’

Netball Central had tried to support those impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle in the Hawke’s Bay.

This season, there had been no charge for members to play netball in the region, given the immense challenges they had experienced.

The ANZ Premiership and the Pulse remained the shop window for netball in the lower to central North Island.

Scholey believed the premiership was in a strong place as evidenced by the many close matches this season and promising young talent coming through.

Sport

en-nz

2023-06-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-06-01T07:00:00.0000000Z

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