A netball team isn’t much without a coach. A leader off the court, a mentor, a director and a friend at times, a good coach can be hard to find. The Margaret Corbett OAM Coach of the Year Award recognizes a coach each year who exemplifies this and more.
Alison Tucker-Munro though, the recipient of this year’s Award, is the epitome of a dedicated coach. Since the inaugural year of Origin Energy Premier League, she has been committed to coaching in both Assistant and Head Coach capacities, for the UTS Randwick Sparks, and recently has also been appointed as Coach of the GIANTS Academy.
“Premier League is such an important environment for all facets of people connected to our sport,” Tucker-Munro says.
“It provides the space to hone and develop High Performance standards and capabilities - be it as a coach, player, manager, umpire, primary carer or bench official.”
As a Sutherland junior, Tucker-Munro has always had a special relationship with Margaret Corbett. Through Corbett’s friendship with former Adelaide Thunderbirds Coach Margaret Angove, she was given her first elite career opportunity in Adelaide before eventually returning to NSW to be coached by Corbett.
“This award has a special place in my heart and means so much to me, and to my family more broadly. My wonderful husband and our four amazing boys play such an important role in supporting and inspiring me, so I can fully invest my energy in the game I love.
“It has been a dream of mine to be fortunate enough to even be considered for this award, let alone win it. In fact, at each State Dinner over the last several years, I'd chat with Marg and say 'I hope one day I'm fortunate enough to receive this award, and fortunate enough to have you still around to present it to me.’
“To receive this award named after a legend of our sport, a legend I am blessed to call a friend, means the world to me. I am deeply humbled as I know I have so much to still learn as a coach. I remain passionate and committed to continuing to work hard to give back to a sport that has given me so very much.”
It is not just skills, experience and expertise that makes Tucker-Munro such an accomplished coach, but more so her illimitable passion.
“I love to coach, the opportunity to work with wonderful athletes and people. I love the thrill of the contest and the tough moments, where you have to be agile in adapting and responding to meet the needs of the team and the players.
“I love navigating through challenging moments on and off the court. I love the camaraderie, the shared sense of purpose, the dichotomy of emotions you experience week to week and season to season, from victory through to frustration and defeat. I love the opportunity to test and push yourself outside your comfort zone.
“And I really love that moment as a coach where a player has been able to execute something in a game that you know they've worked very hard on.”
When asked about her favourite memory in netball, Tucker-Munro said there were too many to mention.
“I've just loved the opportunity to meet a diverse range of people, to travel overseas and around Australia playing a game that I love.
“If I had to pick it would be either making the Aussie Diamonds squad after I had my son as most people had written me off, but I went on to play over 100 games at the elite level. Being the captain of the last ever NSW State Open team at Nationals was also pretty special, especially when we won in double overtime against the Victorians.”
