Holly Fowler to represent New Zealand for fourth straight year

Holly Fowler is standing tall among her peers.

Next month the Mount Albert Grammar School (MAGS) Head Girl and three of her schoolmates will represent New Zealand in the Trans-Tasman U19 Netball Tournament in Rotorua. 

For defender Holly, this will be her fourth straight year in the New Zealand Secondary Schools (NZSS) side, a remarkable achievement. Holly also captained this team last year as a Year 12 player.

The three other MAGS students in this team are shooter Maia Wilson, centre-wing attack Alanis Toia-Tigafua and fellow defender Caitlin Dowden. A fifth MAGS student, Elle Temu, alongside Alanis and Caitlin, has been picked in Netball New Zealand’s and High Performance New Zealand’s Pathway to Podium programme.

Holly has also been selected in the U21 National Development Squad. “I was lucky enough to be named as one of eight players in this squad last year,” Holly said, “and they recently selected another eight girls to be part of it this year.”

Holly is also starting her second season captaining the MAGS Premier Netball team.

Needless to say she’s not sitting around idle too often.

“I am extremely busy this year – with both school and with netball! But I am just so fortunate to have so much support from everyone to help me out, so I am really lucky with that.”

This includes taking the academic side of her life seriously too. “I think it is very important to also get an education behind you. Sport is great, but I know that I’m just one injury away from it all ending so it’s important to have a back-up plan.”

In February she travelled to Sydney with the Northern Mystics squad to take part in the ANZ Championship’s pre-season Summer Shootout tournament. “I was fortunate to travel over there with the Mystics, as a replacement for one girl [Kayla Cullen] who got sick.”

Her goal is to play elite netball. “I definitely want to play for the Mystics one day, and hopefully one day make the Silver Ferns.”

What about role models? “One player who was really helpful when I was with the Mystics in Sydney was [English international] Serena Guthrie, she was really helpful and taught me a lot more about the wing defence position.”

“I’ve also always looked up to [Silver Ferns] Kayla Cullen and Casey Kopua.”

Having spent three years in the New Zealand Secondary Schools Netball team, Holly has already played against several players now playing in the ANZ Championship.

“I played alongside Whitney Souness who is now with the Central Pulse, with Jamie Lee Price who is now playing with the Tactix, with Malia Paseka who is with the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic and also in Year 10 there was Temalisi Fakahokotau, who is the Mystics defender. Jamie, Malia and Temalisi are all in the Fast 5 Ferns.”

The Trans-Tasman U19 tournament, from 26-28 May, is a four-team tournament, with the NZSS team up against Aotearoa Maori and two teams selected from the Australian U19 Squad; Australia Gold and Australia Green. The format is a double round-robin series over the three days.

The New Zealand team was recently selected from a trial group of 24 players. Holly said that the team re-assembles in a fortnight for a training camp to prepare for the Rotorua tournament, when the captain will also be named.

Holly said there are a bunch of players returning from the team last year. Year 10 Wellington East Girls’ College Goal shooter Tiana Metuarau is youngest player selected.

The NZSS team is:

Mila Reuelu-Buchanan (Wellington East Girls’ College)
Caitlin Dowden (Mount Albert Grammar School)
Courtney Elliott (Tai Wananga Ki Ruakura)
Colleen Faleafaga (St Mary’s College, Wellington)
Holly Fowler (Mount Albert Grammar School)
Sydney Fraser (St Kentigern College)
Amorangi Malesala (St Kentigern College)
Tiana Metuarau (Wellington East Girls’ College)
Michelle Parkes (Wellington East Girls’ College)
Kimiora Poi (Napier Girls’ High School)
Alanis Toia-Tigafua (Mount Albert Grammar School)
Maia Wilson (Mount Albert Grammar School

Reserves:

Abbey Franklin (Nelson Girls’ High School)
Lily Marshall (St Margaret’s College)
Jessica Shaw (Marian College)
Diahn Strickland (Te Rito Manukura) 

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