Anna Galvan is a CNC board member, Fundraising and Marketing Manager for Māia Health Foundation, former Tactix, Southern Steel and Silver Fern netballer. She is currently assistant coach for the Mainland team in the Beko League and  is also coaching St Andrew's College Year 9A's.

CNC: Can you tell us about your new position at Māia Health Foundation?

AG: I am the Fundraising and Marketing manager at the Māia Health Foundation. Māia was launched in May 2016 with a mission to enhance health services in the South Island by raising funds for game-changing projects. Our current campaign is to raise $5.2 million for two vital enhancement projects in the new Christchurch Hospital acute services building:

1. A future-proofed rooftop helipad with clinical support unit for quicker emergency treatment ($2 million) - this will save an average 13 minutes transfer time for patients being transported to CHCH hospital via helicopter.
2. Major enhancements to the children’s facilities ($3.2 million) - including parent bed's in the children's wards and a children's playground.

CNC: We’ve recently seen you courtside with the Beko National league team and now the Tactix. Can you tell us about both roles, whether you will still be involved in both teams and what your role is at training and courtside?

AG: I am currently volunteering for Netball Mainland as an assistant coach for our Mainland Beko team. The role involves coaching the defensive end of the court and assisting the head coach wherever necessary. While Marianne Delaeny-Hoshek was heading our campaign and being an assistant at Tactix level, she included us as hawkeye and statisticians for the Tactix. This opportunity gave us valuable experience at that high performance level.

CNC: You’ve been a member of the Tactix, Southern Steel and the Silver Ferns, what are your highlights from both of these experiences?

The highlight of my involvement in netball has most certainly been the lifelong friendships. Being part of a campaign day in and day out, sometimes for months on end, and being around the same people for years makes you feel like family. Just how special that team camaraderie is was highlighted earlier this year when we lost a significant member of our team. When Tania Dalton sadly passed away it reunited a lot of us 'old girls'. It made us realise just how strong our bond was and how important these friendships were to us. I've mentioned how special this bond is to the girls that we are coaching now, sometimes you don't realise how good something is until you don't have it any more.

CNC: Tell us about life after playing netball at the highest level …

AG: Life after playing is now busier than ever. I spend a lot of time volunteering, giving back to the sport that gave me so much. I would encourage as many people as possible to consider how you are giving back to the sport. There’s the chance to be involved in so many ways; at a governance level, on a committee, as part of a club - coaching, managing, umpiring - becoming a bench official, video analysis, sponsorship, the list goes on. I encourage everyone to give back to this wonderful sport, to keep it prospering in our province. After all, the survival of the game depends on our involvement. If time allows, I may also make an appearance on the netball court for my Marist team in 2017!

CNC: And finally, can you tell us something we might not know about you?

AG: Something you may not know about me is that I am a huge Outlander fan, that's both the books by Diana Gabaldon and the series on Lightbox. If you're over 18, check it out, you'll soon be addicted!