A household name and towering figure in the game, the netball community is mourning the passing of iconic coach Robyn Broughton.
The Broughton pedigree was linked with excellence and epitomised the special characteristics required to reach the pinnacle in her chosen field of top-line netball through determination, grit, humility, respect, humour and outstanding natural fortitude.
The former teacher and physical education teacher at Invercargill’s Verdon College left an unparalleled record over the course of New Zealand’s elite domestic competition and beyond to set a shining example for those who follow.
That was first fashioned at Verdon College, who punched well above their weight when winning the 2001 and 2007 national secondary schools titles. Her influence on the many she coached at secondary school level often led to national recognition and successful careers at higher levels for her young proteges.
Broughton etched out a remarkable career across many facets of the sport and was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to netball in the 2004 New Year Honours. In the 2012 Queen’s Birthday and Diamond Jubilee Honours she was promoted to Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit. She was made a Life Member of Netball New Zealand (NNZ) in 2010.
She remains at the forefront of New Zealand’s premier elite domestic competition when the ANZ Premiership Coach of the Year was named in her honour to become the Robyn Broughton Coach of the Year in 2021.
Broughton was revered as a coach for her ability to get the best out of her teams while leaving a substantial imprint on many of the game’s finest, who ventured from the far corners of the country to play for her and were fiercely loyal to their mentor.
The wily operator became an iconic figure in the Deep South and put Invercargill on the map during her long tenure with the Southern Sting where netball became everyone’s favourite sport. It gained wide-spread and almost cult-like following while dominating the local media.
In a remarkable stint, Broughton was head coach of the Sting from 1998-2007, winning a record seven Coca Cola/National Bank Cup titles during that time while being the only coach to lead a team for all 10 seasons of both those competitions.
In a dominant era, Broughton led the Sting for 100 matches, returning an impressive 82 percent win record which was 14 percent better than any other coach while achieving 47 more wins.
With the introduction of the trans-Tasman league in 2008, Broughton took over as coach of the Southern Steel, remaining at the helm until 2011. She moved north to coach the Central Pulse from 2012-15.
On the international front, Broughton was the Silver Ferns assistant coach in 2000-01 and part of the Silver Ferns historic first tour to South Africa during that time. When the shorter form of the game was introduced, Broughton led the FastNet Ferns to the World Series title in 2010.
Her other international achievements included coaching a World 7, against the odds, to victory over a highly-credentialled Australia in 2009, while she was also a national selector.
Late in her career, Broughton plied her tried offshore where her success and experience was a much sought-after commodity. In 2016, she stepped up to become Director of Netball at the Hertfordshire Mavericks while also remaining as their head coach in the UK Super League.
Widely admired and respected by all her players and peers over many years, Broughton fashioned a remarkable coaching legacy in New Zealand which is unlikely to be surpassed.