END OF AN ERA FOR VIXENS AS COACH TAKES BREAK FROM NETBALL

Monday, August 13, 2012

Melbourne Vixens Head Coach Julie Hoornweg has announced that after five seasons at the helm she will not be seeking reappointment for season 2013.

After coaching the Vixens to one premiership and two Grand Finals during her tenure, Hoornweg has decided to take a break from the sport to focus on spending more time with her family.

In announcing her decision to not seek a new contract, Hoornweg said, “The ANZ Championship has played such an important role in the development and profile of netball across this nation and to be at the forefront of this pioneering competition has been amazing.”

In addition to guiding the Vixens through the ANZ Championship since 2008, Hoornweg spent three  years as coach of the Melbourne Phoenix for one premiership from two Grand Final appearances as part of a career in netball that has spanned over 40 years.

“My time with both the Melbourne Phoenix and Vixens has been an incredible journey. What a privilege to work with such outstanding world class athletes and support staff.

‘Dare to be the Best’ has always been my motto in life and I leave knowing I have given my all and leave behind a program perfectly placed to take on the challenges of 2013 and beyond. For me, it is now time to look forward to new challenges,” she said.

Netball Victoria Acting Chief Executive Officer, Russell James paid tribute to the contribution Hoornweg has made to netball over many years.

“Not only does Julie leave an indelible mark on the Melbourne Vixens, taking the team to three finals series in the five years of the ANZ Championship for one premiership, her dedication, passion and commitment to developing elite athletes across the Victorian netball community will leave a significant legacy.

We respect Julie’s decision to move into the next phase in her life and thank her for her outstanding contribution to netball.  We wish her all the very best for the future.”

Chief Executive Officer of Melbourne Vixens netball program partner the Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS), Anne-Marie Harrison, also congratulated Julie on her coaching career.

"Julie has had a long and distinguished career with the Victorian Institute of Sport and internationally. Her knowledge of the sport and her commitment to embrace all aspects of support to assist each player and the teams under control has been outstanding. Julie leaves no stone unturned in her quest for success and these qualities have been respected by the VIS.  We wish her all the very best in the next phase of her life."

Hoornweg was acknowledged for her 2009 ANZ Championship Premiership win when she was awarded the Australian Sports Commission Coach of the Year Award that year. In 2005, she won the Netball Australia Coach of the Year.

Melbourne Vixens captain Bianca Chatfield said Hoornweg had been a ‘dedicated coach’ to the club.

“She is very thorough with her preparation and planning and we have all learnt a lot from her over the years. It’s disappointing that we couldn’t send her out on a high at the Grand Final a few weeks ago but she was an important part of our journey in getting there in the first place.  

She has given the Vixens her all for many years to make sure we get the best result possible so we appreciate that she has chosen to focus on other aspects of her life for now,” Chatfield said

Prior to coaching in Victoria, Hoornweg took on Head Coach Appointments overseas; first for the Fiji netball team (1997-1999) and England (2000 – 2002).

Netball Victoria, in conjunction with program partner the VIS, will commence the search for the next Melbourne Vixens Head Coach immediately.