You only have to spend a couple of minutes chatting to Jo Morrison to pick up how grateful she is.
Grateful to the coaches that guided her through her playing days, grateful to those who have supported her through her own coaching career and grateful for this new phase she is settling into.
Morrison has had a busy start to the new year after being appointed head coach of the New Zealand secondary schools side.
It is a role that excites the former Otago Rebel — who is currently "right in the thick of it" in Napier at the third national development camp — after having spent the past few seasons as the team’s assistant coach.
Morrison, who has been the Southern Steel’s assistant coach for the past four seasons, knew the secondary schools programme was a critical pathway for future talent and had a big passion for helping them succeed.
"I feel, because I have had such amazing opportunities at the level above, I kind of know what’s required to ready these players to then step into the next space," Morrison said.
"Not only do I really love working with this age group, where I feel like you can really make quite a big impact and some big shifts, I just feel like I have a really good understanding of what is required and where we need to head in that space across the country."
It has been a busy few weeks hosting an Upper North Island camp a couple of weeks ago — "one of the best camps we’ve had in the Upper North for many years" — and a South Island camp in Ashburton last weekend.
Across the board the players’ skill sets and openness to learn impressed their new head coach.
"We can really see some of the things that we’ve been working on over the last couple of years.
"It’s just starting to consistently evolve across the country.
‘‘We’ve made a few changes to the programme, so that was really exciting to see some shifts and in the skill sets space too."
The secondary schools programme is aligned with the Silver Ferns and the New Zealand under-21 squads to provide pathways for athletes through to the National Netball League and the ANZ Premiership.
Silver Ferns players attended the secondary school camps this season in a bid to pass on their knowledge and re-affirm the messages coaches were trying to get across to their players, Morrison said.
"Hopefully that will give these young aspiring athletes something to work towards and see that it can be done.
"We do have a huge connection, not only with the national team but also across the zones, to get these players into the next space."
Nationally the key focus is on the under-21 team in their preparation for the Youth World Cup — the first since 2017 due to Covid cancellations — in Gibraltar in September.
Discussions to finalise the secondary school campaign are on going, but players will return to their schools, and representative zones, and Morrison will track them from there before trials in April.
"Hopefully the aim is that we will have some international competition, whether that’s in New Zealand or away, that’s yet to be determined."
As a trained teacher, fostering the next generation has always come naturally to Morrison.
Coaching has always been part of her netball life. She helped coach while she played, but maybe she never expected to land where she is today.
"Did I see myself going into this space? Possibly not.
"But I’ve just had such incredible opportunities and amazing support around me to encourage me to do it, so it feels really natural to me and I love it."
That again came back to the support she received through her playing days and from fellow coaches.
"It’s my passion and I don’t feel like I’m ever working.
"I just love being in amongst ... like-minded people and just there to give back.
"I’ve just made such life-long friends and I just want that for the next generation to come through."
Netball has always been a core pillar for Morrison, who was part of the champion 1998 Otago Rebels team.
Hailed as one of the most accurate shooters in the country during her era, Morrison earned seven caps for the Silver Ferns in 1997 and 1998, including silver at the Commonwealth Games, and later represented the English Roses.
And while she was now involved in the high performance side of the game, Morrison did not believe it had changed all that much from her Coca-Cola Cup days.
"I was so blessed to have Georgie Salter as my coach and I think she was well beyond her years.
"It’s a lot more physical and it demands more from the bodies.
"It’s the ultimate team sport, because you need to use everyone on the court and that’s what I love about netball.
"It’s not just one person that can shine, you need everybody else there.
"I think it has changed in the fact that it’s semi-professional and there’s a lot more exposure in the media, but I don’t think the game in its essence has changed."
Morrison has also spent the past 10 years with Netball South as the development performance manager, a role she stepped away from in September, and coached at an elite level.
After first joining the Southern Blast as a specialist coach, Morrison eventually moved into the head coach role and spent the past four seasons as the Southern Steel’s assistant coach.
Both opportunities coaching in NNL and ANZ Premiership had been "incredible".
"I’ve just learnt so much.
"I was so blessed to be around such high calibre coaches and management.
"I’m just really grateful for those opportunities and just loved every minute."
Always looking to develop, Morrison was selected as part of High Performance Sport New Zealand’s Te Hapaitanga programme last year.
The programme, which runs for 18 months, is designed to support the development of emerging and high-potential female coaches from across the country.
It has had a significant impact on Morrison, who summed it up nicely.
"It’s been a bit of a life changer, really.
"I’m the only netball coach on there and I’m the senior member of the group, I must admit," she laughed.
"I’m a bit older than a few of those girls, but it’s really cool to be amongst young and aspiring coaches, like myself, and from different codes."
Coaches from rowing and rugby, to cycling and canoe racing, are part of the programme, and meet in person five times throughout the duration.
Morrison called them a "particularly special group" who still connected online constantly.
"Some really great coaches from different codes ... and just bouncing off different ideas.
"We’re just going through a pretty deep journey learning about yourself as a coach, and as a person, and how you can get better."
Fellow Dunedin coach Raylene Bates, who is the Athletics New Zealand para lead, is Morrison’s coaching mentor through the programme — and Morrison felt "very, very lucky" to have Bates’ guidance.
"It’s incredible.
"The connection you make with all the different coaches around the country and the world is pretty special."
Morrison, who was previously a Silver Ferns selector, also recently returned to the classroom as an intermediate relief teacher, a "refreshing change" allowing her to focus on herself and becoming a better coach.
Among all the netball it is easy to forget Morrison’s most important job title — being a mother.
Her children, Lucy, who turns 18 next week, Jack, 15, Harry, 14, and Annabel, 11, have all taken an interest in netball — Lucy and Jack represented Otago under-18 last season — and always remained her first priority.
And her husband, Paul, was the perfect supportive team-mate.
"If I didn’t have him I wouldn’t be able to do anything that I do."
