Dame Noeline Taurua on Coaching the Ferns, Finding a Monk & Facing Childhood Trauma

2025-07-13

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Dame Noeline Taurua is one of New Zealand’s most successful and respected coaches — and one of the most compelling minds in high performance sport.In this raw and revealing episode, Noeline opens up about her journey from a childhood shaped by violence, to leading the Silver Ferns to World Cup glory just eight months after taking the job. We talk about the pressures of elite coaching, the spiritual wisdom she receives from a monk advisor, and how she juggled motherhood with one of the toughest jobs in spo...

Dame Noeline Taurua is one of New Zealand’s most successful and respected coaches — and one of the most compelling minds in high performance sport.

In this raw and revealing episode, Noeline opens up about her journey from a childhood shaped by violence, to leading the Silver Ferns to World Cup glory just eight months after taking the job. We talk about the pressures of elite coaching, the spiritual wisdom she receives from a monk advisor, and how she juggled motherhood with one of the toughest jobs in sport.

We also dive into her Māori identity, her unconventional coaching methods, the heartbreak of missing out on the Ferns job the first time, and how she built a culture that brought a team back from rock bottom.

It’s honest, wise, emotional and powerful — a masterclass in resilience and leadership.

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