Netball New Zealand is determined to make sure Yvette McCausland-Durie isn't entirely lost to the professional game.
The ANZ Premiership's reigning champion coach will leave Central Pulse at the end of the season to return fulltime to Manawatu.
McCausland-Durie wants to give back to her local community.
"I'll work with the Maori team - the Ikaroa - and of course alongside Manawatu and with school teams at Manukura, so I'll still be coaching," she says.
But Netball New Zealand wants to keep hold of her beyond next year's World Youth Cup.
She has coached the NZ U21 team since 2006, guiding them to the last two world titles in 2013 and 2017.
"She's a fantastic coach and whatever is right for Yvette, we'll look to keep her in the system one way or another," says Netball NZ high performance head Keir Hansen.
That could be as a member of the Silver Ferns coaching staff, despite her involvement in their ill-fated Gold Coast Commonwealth Games campaign.
"Wherever she goes in the future, be it the Silver Ferns or any other coaching role, she'll bring that experience to the table and will be an amazing asset," says Hansen.
McCausland-Durie would jump at the chance to work with the Ferns again.
"I'm always really blessed to have an opportunity to work at that level, but never expect it and take it if it comes," she says.
But first, she's trying to complete a perfect season with the Pulse, who are unbeaten through 10 games in the revamped national competition.
"I always believe deeply in players and I believe deeply in our vision, so I'm on a mission."
And her players want to farewell her with a second straight title.
"Certainly, we want to give her a good send-off, so we've got a big four weeks ahead of us," says midcourt Claire Kersten.
"I know she'd never let us say it's for her, but it's a little bit extra motivation with her leaving," says captain Katrina Rore.
Pulse fans will have a chance to express those emotions on Sunday, when their team host Northern Mystics at Porirua's Te Rauparaha Arena - their first true home game of the season.
