Nine international netball teams are in Christchurch this weekend, going head-to-head in the entertaining Fast5 World Series.
But for England assistant coach Jo Harten, it's somewhat of a homecoming after spending two years in the Garden City early in her career.
You could almost say red is a colour that's synonymous with Harten, having played 117 Tests for England and now part of their coaching team – but she was also previously a member of the Canterbury Tactix.
Harten said she was delighted to be back in Christchurch.
“I love the people, I love the culture, I love the place,” she said.
Harten, who moved to Christchurch as a 22-year-old in 2012, endured some tough times in the region as it struggled with post-earthquake life.
The Tactix were also finding things tough, consistently finishing at or near the bottom of the ANZ Championship year after year.
Harten said she wouldn’t have changed a thing about those two seasons though.
“I took a big risk coming to Christchurch, coming to the Tactix, but really it was one of the best decisions of my life,” she said.
“It was so humbling… we didn't have the best results at the Tactix but it was an experience I'll never forget.”
Harten is hoping to create a similar experience this weekend at the Fast5 World Series – one of her favourite events on the netball calendar.
“It's so fun – less people on the court so there's more space to do more whacky things!
“I like to think of myself as a creative player and now I'm a coach, I'm kind of egging the girls on to take the long shots.”
After retiring from the international game in April, the 34-year-old has had a rapid rise up the coaching ranks. But her CV speaks for itself, having played at four World Cups and four Commonwealth Games.
“I've been super grateful that England Netball have elevated me to the international set up of coaching quite quickly, but I've got a lot of knowledge of the game and I'm super keen to share that with the girls, especially in the fast five format.”
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