Pittwater Life April 2017 Issue

so he studied that for four years. His local practice, Avalon
Physiotherapy Centre, is very much community-orientated
and offers a wide specialty range.
When Anne retired from playing netball in 1988 it was a
desire to combine her coaching skills, teaching skills, and
passion for the game, which led to the Anne Sargeant Netball
Clinics. She ran the first one, back in 1989, with three of her
Rep playing girlfriends; 60 kids attended, and her father
cooked a sausage sizzle at the end.
Having started on the Northern Beaches, over 25 years later
the clinics are still going strong here, but now also take place
all over Sydney and are attended by hundreds of kids. Run
during the school holidays they are an opportunity for young
players of all ages to learn new skills and have fun.
Anne runs the Junior Elite Talent Squad (JETS) alongside
former international and Manly player Karan Smith and
Virginia Welsh, both of whom are currently coaching teams
for the Manly Sapphires premier league. “These sessions are
for higher grade players who maybe want to make a highergrade
team, or a rep team.” Under the Anne Sargeant Netball
Clinics umbrella, they are run at Narrabeen, Crows Nest and
Ku-ring-gai. “I don’t like getting up at 5.30 three mornings
a week, but I love between 7 and 8.15am working with those
kids because they train so hard, and love it. Hopefully it
enhances the girls’ club and rep experiences.”
Coaching these enthusiastic, young passionate players
one minute and then having the responsibility of players at
national selection level, she says “is a reminder of what the
young players are aspiring to, and that the Australian team
players were once like that, and that they are people with
family lives, and a need for work life balance, as much as they
are a national athlete.”
She reflects that Warwick probably thought when she
retired from the game in 1988 that her work would slow
down, but actually it’s escalated, and she is currently working
seven days a week. Perhaps this isn’t surprising for someone
whose motto for life is ‘There is no end point to success’. (It’s
a line from Joyce Brown, her coach for 11 years.)
Then she adds: “Warwick is the most gorgeous man. I don’t
want to paint him as a saint, because he’ll be ribbed when he
has his daily coffee with the guys at the Palm Beach General
Store. But he’s always been very generous of spirit and very
selfless in enabling me to continue to pursue my passions.
Also, he’s very proud of what I do, which is just lovely.”
Her life is paced and tightly organized, but she makes time
for a daily walk with the dogs usually up over the hill, along
the beach, and back along the Pittwater foreshore, which, she
says, is not only good physical exercise, but clears her head.
“My life is detail, detail, detail, whether it’s organisation of
large events, or commentary, or selection.” When there’s time
she stops for a coffee at The Boathouse and sits relishing the
beautiful surroundings.
The Sargeants have lived in their 1920s house about
nine years. Anne admits that she has a passion for interior
decorating, which is shared by Warwick, and the place is
testament to their flair.
“We pulled internal walls down to open up the space, but
wanted to retain the era, so this has been very carefully and
lovingly renovated.”
A glass fronted wood burning stove sits in the corner.
Shelves abound with china. Shells hang on strings. On
the walls hang a couple of paintings by Terri Butterworth,
who used to live in the area. And a Nada Herman. It’s airy
and spacious, but also intimate, and exudes a creative
individuality.
When I ask what some of her great moments have been she
replies that of course marriage and the birth of their only
child daughter, Kendall. “I’m an only child, and my mother was
Life Stories
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:
Anne acknowledging the crowd
after representing Australia; the
smiling toddler; being honoured
with Legend status at the Sport
Australia Hall of Fame awards
in 2015; with husband Warwick;
towering over her Forestville
Public School teammates, circa
1968; with daughter Kendall
at the launch of the ‘Anne
Sargeant’ ferry.
Celebrating 25 Years
APRIL 2017 29
PHOTOS: Supplied;