Tasha Davie has dedicated 28 years to rugby league, either as a player or a coach, leaving an impact on the ARL community.

In the lead up to International Women's Day, we sought Tasha's insights into her unique journey and experiences as a female coach in the sport. “I got involved with coaching because I wanted to start up the Youth girls grades here in Auckland. To make this happen, a few female players and I volunteered to coach an U15 and U17 girls' team in 2017. I never thought I could get the fulfilment I got from playing when moving into coaching, but seeing players grow as better footy players and better people is just so rewarding.”

“This game has equipped me with so many skills that are transferable in life. It’s about passing on that knowledge and learnings to others, so they become better athletes and even better human beings.” 

A significant mentor for Tasha was Crystal Kaua, the current coach of the Chiefs Manawa Women’s Rugby Aupiki Team. After earning the title of ARL Women’s Premiership Coach of the Year in 2023, Tasha aims to encourage more women to enter the coaching realm. “Crystal’s had a huge influence on how my coaching journey has shaped. She coached me in the Auckland Women’s Rugby 7s environment, where I learnt a lot on building team culture, bringing together all skill levels and giving opportunities to those who put themselves out there. The way she conducts herself and connects with her playing group is inspiring.”  

“Hopefully, I have inspired other female coaches to take that leap into coaching a Women’s team. It was humbling to be acknowledged with the Award in my first year coaching in the Women’s Premiership and being the only female coach out of the seven teams. We would not have had the successful year without the hard work of our players and the endless dedication of our coaching/management team. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity the Mt Albert Club gave me to be able to work on my coaching craft.” 

Despite her coaching successes and pioneering efforts in the field, Tasha acknowledges the unique hurdles she has encountered.“There are a lot of challenges being a female coach and coaching in the female space. There is a huge range of different player ability within a women’s team, it is challenging being able to coach to all levels and have every team member be engaged, learning and growing within a season.” “The other challenge is the development and opportunities for our female coaches. It's tough out there when you are competing with male counterparts who bring years of experience from the men’s game you often get overlooked.” 

Tasha concludes with advice for aspiring coaches eager to contribute to the sport and foster greatness growing here in Tāmaki Makaurau. 

“It’s a hard gig, its results driven, and someone is knocking on your door ready to take your place. Know who you are, what you stand for and believe in it. Remind yourself of your WHY and be resilient, be Wāhine Strong!” 

Article added: March 8th, 2024