After eight years in the Magic colours, captain Sam Winders looks poised to take her team to new heights this season.
2021 marks Winders’ second year as captain of the Magic, with her maiden season of captaincy full of disruptions and challenges that no one could have predicted.
“Last year taught me a lot, but it was also a very trying year with COVID and also a lot of young players...I think as well as trying to find myself and my style of leadership, there were a lot of other variables that went along with it too.
“What I’ve taken from last year into this year is that just being myself is the number one priority, being that authentic self, especially on court.”
Taking over the captaincy from Casey Kopua, another player faithful to the region, there were big shoes to fill for Winders but her leadership and passion for her team have been clear both on court and off.
“I think like the thing that you want out of a leader is someone who does their job really well, like their netball job. And then secondly, compassion goes a long way so just checking in every now and then with players, being a nice person, you want to be remembered as someone who was nice so even though it’s a very competitive environment, we want to treat each other with a bit of love and a bit of aroha all the time.”
After a handful of experienced players were added to the squad for this season, Winders will be ably supported in trainings and on court.
Winders said “I think a lot of those players that are new this year have brought a lot of experience, there are so many people who have actually been captains in other teams so that actually makes my job really easy.
“You don’t have to worry about them, they do their thing, they tick all the right boxes and they’re actually there to support me all the time so it’s definitely not a solo job, I’m just so well supported. And really at the end of the day, the thing that I might do that they don’t is the coin toss.”
Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Winders is positive that 2021 will be the Magic’s year, a team full of fierce players showing their drive to finally get the Magic to the Finals Series for the first time.
“[I’m] most looking forward to being able to consolidate the combinations that we’ve got and we’re a pretty tight knit team, so whoever goes on, they just want to do the best job for each other and it’s easy to do that when you’ve got players who are working for and with each other.”
Opening their 2021 season with a four goal win, the captain has full confidence that the work done in preseason will carry her side all the way, saying that the Magic’s point of difference this year is “the fact that we trust in a real skill based game...we’re working overtime at all our trainings on our individual skills and techniques so when you watch us, we’re a real exciting team to watch.”
