There aren't many male netball coaches in country netball which is why Asha Huf is enjoying playing for one at her new Warrnambool and District league club.
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The 29-year-old departed South Rovers in the off-season to join Old Collegians, where she is coached by first-year mentor Andrew Sloane.
Huf, who spent two years and made good friends at the Lions, said she made the move to "try something new" but the chance to be coached by Sloane was also appealing .
She said male netball coaches could sometimes have "different outlooks" to their female counterparts.
"I guess as a female, traditionally, especially in the netball world growing up with it, you kind of have these pre-conceived things of what you should do coaching or how you look at what should happen with the team," she told The Standard.
"And for some parts of it I definitely feel like he has a different outlook on it. How he would approach a coaching drill or how we should do something in play is somewhat a little bit different.
"He kind of has a non-kosher way of doing things which I like. It's a different outlook, not traditional to I guess the Warrnambool style of play."
Huf, who has been impressive for the Warriors in 2024, is a fan of Sloane's approach although parts are somewhat different to what she typically prefers.
"He definitely has a more gentle style which I'm probably not privy to because I very much enjoy being yelled at," she said with a laugh.
"But I really enjoy the constructive way he goes about (meeting) our needs and trying to make sure as a player that all our feelings are being met and all of the things we need as a player are being met.
"And he really values our opinions...And I think that's a really good thing, he's not dictating the entire process."
Huf played her junior netball at North Warrnambool Eagles and Dennington before moving to Melbourne for university.
She played there for six years, representing high-level Victoria and Melbourne University teams and was set to realise her aim of playing in the Victorian Netball League when she injured a knee.
The Warriors goal-shooter fell pregnant and had twins before moving back to Warrnambool to be closer to family.
She didn't intend to play netball again but was convinced to spend a season with Allansford in 2021 before joining the Lions.
Huf has been a strong performer in the WDFNL since returning but said "I don't think I'll ever get back to where I was".
"That was some of the reason for our move as well," she said.
"I was never going to be able to play the level that I was playing ever again. I'm still fast and still have those skills, I just don't feel as confident after having an injury and then having kids.
"It just changes your body I think. Not necessarily for the bad, it's just different. And being a lot older than what I was, I'm close to 30 now so I definitely am conscious of the way I play a lot more than what I did when I was living in Melbourne when I was 25."
The new-look, youthful Warriors sit seventh after six rounds with two wins.
The side is riding high after producing a gritty five-goal victory against Russells Creek on Saturday, May 11, 2024.
Huf believes there "is more to come".
"I just feel like over the last few weeks we've really started to put together more quality netball and I think that's showing especially after the weekend where we were able to grit through any issues we were having and get through to the end to get that win," Huf said.
"I definitely think there's more to come, especially with a younger side, we were able to put that together and show that we can be a quality team."
The Warriors face her former side South Rovers in round seven on Saturday, May 18.
Matt Hughes
Matt is a sports journalist at The Standard.
Matt is a sports journalist at The Standard.
