Western Netball are thrilled to appoint Vanda Buttars, of Wanganui, as the coach of the Western U21 team who will compete at the New Zealand Age Group Championships in July this year.

Buttars has an extensive coaching history with highlights including coaching the Champion club side Marist A1 who were winners of the Wanganui Premier compeition from 1991-2006 for all but one of those years and winners of the Manawatu Premier 1 league for 2 years and runner up in their third. Buttars currently coaches the Wanganui High School A1 Netball team.

Outside of coaching Buttars was Chairperson of Netball Wanganui from 2005-2008 and is now a life member of both Netball Wanganui and Marist Netball Club.

Buttars is excited to be coaching a regional side and looks forward to the challenge of competing at the New Zealand Age Group Championships. She says, "We have so many talented young players within the Western region and we have the ability to be highly competitive at the national level".

The New Zealand Age Group Championships will be held at the Trusts Stadium Arena, Waitakere City from 6-9 July.

Trials for the Western U21 team will be held on June 7th.