Sarah chatted with Dame Noeline Taurua, coach of the Silver Ferns and former representative player.
Dame Noeline has been playing netball from a very young age. She was nine years old when she first started training.
"When I think about the changes - you had housewife netball. My mother was an avid netball player herself and would go on and play on Wednesdays and you know, all the housewives would be there and that was probably my first memory. I think that has changed in regards to how netball or some of the sports was so strong in communities and another opportunity for ladies to get together and cheer"
"I think the game has changed. I was going to say horrendously, but you know how it has become so physical now with women going into semi-professional, professional sort of careers. So they have more time now to look and see career now. So, you know, you're in the gym, you're getting stronger, you're getting better, you're getting faster. So the collisions out on the court are tough at times."
From a coaching perspective, Dame Noeline says that all these changes have probably been undergone due to the game going into the professional era around the expectations.
"In that regard, now we have something like eight coaches who are career coaches, myself included" Dame Noeline said.
Another great change is how women athletes can now keep a balance of being a mum and are still allowed to return to play games.
"I suppose now that women are having babies and your ability to come back and be professional athletes athletes".
Although many things have changed for the good over the years, there are still some "fundamentals" that have not evolved, things that we still hold on from the past.
"So the game has changed over the years, but also there's still those fundamentals that I don't believe have changed, you know, an opportunity for women to have a space for themselves, to grow, to develop, to share" Dame Noeline stated.
Watch the highlight video above and listen to the full interview below.
