New Lightning coach to build on legacy
Sunshine Coast Lightning coach Kylee Byrne isn't out to emulate the success of predecessor Noeline Taurua, she wants to build on it.
Taurua guided the Lightning to the first two Super Netball titles as well as the 2019 minor premiership and another grand final before announcing she was heading back to New Zealand.
Long-time assistant Byrne has stepped up to become the head coach but says she has no qualms with the potentially daunting prospect of filling Taurua's position.
"The way Noels set it up ... she left a lot up to me so it would be an easy transition to the point that in October I forgot halfway through until someone said 'oh you're the head coach'," Byrne told AAP.
"It was just kind of get in and get the job done and just forgot the title had changed.
"That's just testament to how she set things up and the environment and I certainly won't be starting all over again. We've had some success here and it's built on the foundation of what she put together. Hopefully I just get to build on that."
As well as promoting Byrne, the Lightning have retained all 10 of this year's core squad members for 2020 including captain Laura Langman.
Byrne says retaining the New Zealand midcourt superstar is a huge plus for her and the club heading into next year's campaign.
"She's certainly got so much more still to give," Byrne said.
"I think this year was one of her best netball years and she got better and better as the season went on.
"We're certainly in a good place with this team leading into next year."
The release of the Super Netball draw on Friday added an extra sense of reality to Byrne's new position, her first senior head coach role after being an assistant with the Lightning and Queensland Firebirds.
"I can't wait, the season's creeping up and I can't wait to get started," she said.
"In the end it's just a title and I'm really confident in what I can do and the people around me up here as well ... they're good at what they do and that's just so important for a head coach."
