As the Christchurch manager of Madison Recruitment, Sarah Harland applies the exact same code of caring as an U19 netball coach that she takes into her work with clients and candidates.

Sarah played netball herself “for as long as I can remember.”

Season after season on the South Hagley Park concrete courts, however, was undeniably hard on the body. Sarah recalls as a child her fingers firmly wedged under her armpits on winter mornings in a desperate attempt to warm up.

Motivated by the way that sport has contributed to her own character and resilience, Sarah has flourished in the role a coach and mentor, guiding the Kereru club’s U19 team since 2018, when they started out as the U15 side.

She is grateful to have an employer who recognises tremendous value in the time she spends volunteering. Although the responsibilities of a coach can require early finishes, Sarah has been given the flexibility, because it all comes down to putting people first.

“They know we’ve got our own passions and support us in our personal lives as well as work lives.”

Madison Recruitment understands, after all, that the exact same skills and strengths that serve Sarah well in the sporting environment translate to success in recruitment.

“To be job hunting - it’s a scary time in people’s lives,” she reflects. “We are candidate-focused. We make sure we communicate well – whether it’s good or bad feedback. We don’t leave anybody hanging.

“We’re committed to being supportive and giving them the professional but friendly experience.

“So often, job-seekers just don’t hear back. I don’t think that’s fair.”

Driven by this simple sense of how people should be treated, Sarah has found her calling as a coach.

She has coached the Kereru U19 team for five years, noticing it’s a pivotal time in her players’ lives.

“It’s the time in life when it’s easiest to give up sport. It’s the same time they need it the most,” Sarah points out.

After leaving high school and heading into the hospitality industry herself, Sarah remembers running out of time for the sport she loves so much.

“You go through a patch – there’s other things that start interesting you when you leave high school…work life and social life.

“I lost netball. I wish I hadn’t lost it.”

Eventually the game called her back. Sarah is grateful for this, and the girls she coaches are equally relieved.

“It’s so important to keep the girls in sport through that period when school gets hard…they meet boys…have arguments at home. They turn into real teenagers, and netball is a place for them to be among friends.

Sarah has worked with players experiencing incredibly tough times – including substance abuse, relationship issues, loss and assault.

“It’s not ‘turn up, and coach and go home,’” she points out. “They’ve got someone they can trust. They share these things. They become confident in the relationship.”

It’s easy to recognise the common threads through Sarah’s recruitment world and coaching role. Whether it’s a client or player, she insists:

“I support them personally. It’s nice to just always be there for them.”

Article added: Wednesday 15 November 2023