 The 2016 New Zealand Secondary Schools Netball Championships are in Lower Hutt next week from Tuesday-Friday. Leading up to the tournament, College Sport Media is profiling some of the teams and individuals likely to feature.
Defending champions Mount Albert Grammar School will be one of the teams to beat in this year’s NZSS Netball Championships and Kasey Price is a key player in their midcourt. Name: Kasey Price School: Mount Albert Grammar School What positions do you play? Centre, Wing Defence What representative teams have you played in? Auckland U19s What’s it going to take for your school to do well in the NZSS Nationals next week? Working together as a squad of 12, and each of the 12 doing their job on and off the court. Have you played in the NZSS Nationals previously? Yes, this will be my third year at Nationals. What local competitions has your school team played in this year and how did your team go? Auckland Secondary Schools: Runners-up. Upper North Island Championships: Winners. Who are your school’s closest rivals on the netball court? I think every team we come up against are our rivals - we know we have to be on our game in every match. Saint Kentigern College have been our closest rivals - I know it is going to be a physical, tough game every time we come up against them. What’s been one memorable match you have played in this year for your school team? When we played Saint Kentigern in our round game at UNISS tournament. We all really worked together. Everyone did their job and it all came together in the end. What’s the strength of your team? We have a group of 12 girls so everyone works hard to be a starter which makes us push each other. All 12 girls can play a variety of positions, which is a strength of our team. How long have you been playing netball? I have been playing netball since I was six! My favourite early memory was playing on the grass in Australia. Who are your sporting role models? I have three role models. The first one is Gabbi Simpson [Queensland Firebirds/Australia] because she just goes for everything and sticks on her player and does her job. My big sister Jamie-Lee Price [Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic/ Greater Western Sydney Giants 2017] is also one of my role models because she is fierce when she plays. And the last one is my dad, Steve Price [former Captain of the Warriors], because he was an amazing leader not just on the field, but off it as well. Do you have a motto or saying? 'Just play what's in front of you.' What other sports do you play or have played competitively? Volleyball
27/9/2016
NZSS Secondary Schools Netball Championships profile: Kate Heffernan/St Hilda’s Collegiate The 2016 New Zealand Secondary Schools Netball Championships are being held in Lower Hutt next week.
Kate Heffernan captains the St Hilda’s Collegiate team from Dunedin that recently won the South Island Zone qualifying tournament and will be appearing at the NZSS Championships for the first time. Name: Kate Heffernan School: St Hilda’s Collegiate School Coaches: Lana Morrison (head), Annette Heffernan (assistant) Team Members: Georgia Heffernan, Megan Borst, Mikayla Thorn, Abbey Johnston, Kate Heffernan, Beryn Abbott, Meg Timu, Mariah Nelson, Georgia O’Malley, Mara McCurdy What positions do you play? Centre mainly, but also WA and WD. What representative teams have you played in? I’ve played in the Dunedin U17 team in 2015 and 2016 and got a NZSS trial. What’s it going to take for your school to do well in the NZSS Nationals next week? I think as a team we need to approach it as we did the South Island Regional tournament. Our team really dug deep and when it got tough we came together. We need to play for each other. I think it is also important for our team to take this tournament one game at a time and not get too ahead of ourselves. What local competitions has your school team played in this year and how did your team go? We played in the Dunedin premier grade this year. It was pretty tough, we didn’t make top four. We won the Otago Secondary Schools Championship. We won the International Netball Festival held at Rangi Ruru earlier in the year. Who are your school’s closest rivals on the netball court? We try to approach every game the same no matter what team. We respect all teams we come up against. But if we were to say any particular school it would be St Margaret’s [Christchurch]. They are very dominant in the South Island especially, and they are our sister school so we see a lot of them through school exchanges etc. What’s been one memorable match you have played in this year for your school team? At South Islands this year, the quarter-final against St Margaret’s. I’ve never played a game in any team where it just felt so good on court. It was such a team effort, and everyone in the team wanted it so bad. What’s the strength of your team? I think what makes this team special is that our whole line up is even. We have strength the whole way through, and on the bench. We can all rely on each other to do their job. What other support has your team received to get to allow it to operate at the level it does? We receive great support from all parents of the girls in the team. They give up a lot of their time to support and help organise any events. We also receive a lot of support from our school which is great. We couldn’t compete as we do without this support. Personally, who are your netball/sporting role models? Suzie Bates and Laura Langman. They are both such motivated athletes, and amazing at what they do. You also play cricket? Yes, I was in the Otago U21 side in the 2014/15 and 2015/16 seasons and was an Otago Sparks [domestic women’s team] squad member in 2015/16. What year are you at school and what about your attention to school subjects? I am year 12 this year and my favourite subjects would probably be P.E and Biology.  The 2016 New Zealand Secondary Schools Netball Championships are being held from 4-7 October. Leading up to the tournament, College Sport Media will profile some of the teams and individuals likely to feature.
Mount Albert Grammar School will be one of the teams to beat in this year’s NZSS Netball Championships, heading to Lower Hutt as the defending champions and the recent Upper North Island tournament winners. School: Mount Albert Grammar School Senior A squad: Addi Albert-Jones, France Bloomfield, Armani Lam, Maine-Crystal Maro, Shaniah Morehu-Hunia, Kasey Price, Sharne Pupuke-Robati, Abigail Roache, Elle Temu, 'Alaimaluloa Toetu'u, Halaevalu Toutaiolepo, Ruby Young Senior A team coaching staff: Paula Smith and Jess Wilson Senior A team captain: Elle Temu and France Bloomfield (Co-Captains) 2016 Representative players: Elle Temu, selected for the New Zealand Secondary School team in April. What’s it going to take for your school to do well in the NZSS Nationals? We have to focus on the process, not the outcome. We’re not even thinking about the fact that we’ve won the title four years in a row, and are defending champions, but instead will take NZSS 2016 game by game. What local competitions has your school team played in this year and how did your team go? North Harbour tournament (winners); Combined Points Tournament (winners); Auckland Secondary School Netball competition (runners-up); Upper North Island Secondary School tournament (winners) Who are your school’s closest rivals on the netball court? We respect all of our opposition teams. We have such a young Premier team this year that anything could happen in any game, so we are not complacent about any of our rivals. What’s been one memorable game your team has played this year? Losing this year’s AKSS final [to Saint Kentigern College] was a good learning opportunity for us. It confirmed our work-ons for the upcoming tournaments, and we went on to win UNISS for the 10th year in a row, going through the whole tournament unbeaten. How many players are returning to the NZSS Nationals from last year and what’s the age balance? We have seven players returning, but only two are in our main line-up. Our main team is made up of mostly Year 11 players. Does your team have a motto or philosophy that it comes together under? We always refer to our MAGS Way set of values, which talk about respect, honesty and aiming for excellence. Our school motto “Per Angusta Ad Augusta” means “Through Hardship to Glory” and is also often quoted. Who are the individuals in your team that are successful in other sports? Sharne Pupuki-Robati: NZ Basketball U17 representative; Abigail Roache: Auckland Women’s 7s member and NZ Touch player, Lahaina-Lee Upu-Toparea: NZ Touch player Shaniah Morehu-Hunia: Counties Touch player Tell us about the team’s support? Our parental support is huge – we could not achieve what we have without our fantastic parents. We are also grateful for having received a grant this season from Pub Charity, and sponsorship of our uniforms from Samurai. Who are the recent former players that have played for this MAGS team now playing at an elite level? Maia Wilson – Silver Fern and member of the Central Pulse; Holly Fowler – New Zealand A and member of the Northern Mystics; Erikana Pedersen - New Zealand A and member of the Mainland Tactix; Jamie-Lee Price – New Zealand A and member of the Waikato/BoP Magic; Nadia Loveday – member of the Northern Mystics The Beko National League is the feeder competition to the ANZ. This year’s Northern Team included Meretini Fuimaono, Rebekah Roache and Tera-Maria Amani, while the Mainland Team featured Caitlin Dowden. Looking for USA Scholarships? Check out USA CONNECT Looking for $40000 University of Waikato Study Scholarships CLICK HERE Looking for Sport Exchange Opportunities to Australia CLICK HERE  The 2016 New Zealand Secondary Schools Netball Championships are being held in Lower Hutt from 4-7 October. Leading up to the tournament, College Sport Media will profile some of the individuals and teams likely to feature.
Tayla Earle made the NZSS squad earlier this year as a Year 11 out of Rotorua Girls’ High School. She’s subsequently moved to Auckland’s Saint Kentigern College who were runners-up at last year’s Nationals in Ashburton and who won the Auckland Championship this year and finished second to MAGS at the recent Upper North Island qualifying tournament. Name: Tayla Earle School: Saint Kentigern College What positions do you play? Wing Defence, Centre, Wing Attack and Goal Defence. What representative teams have you played in? Rotorua U15 and U17’s 2015, Aotearoa Maori Secondary Schools 2015, Auckland U17 1’s 2016, New Zealand Secondary Schools 2016. Waiariki Maori 2015 and 2016. What’s it going to take for your school to do well in the NZSS Nationals in Lower Hutt in early October? For everyone to stay mentally grounded and dig deep, especially on the last days of the tournament. To work hard individually but play as a team from the get go. We all have to empty the tank. Will this be your first time playing at the NZSS tournament? Yes, this will be my first time at nationals. What local competitions has your school team played in this year and how did your team go? We were the Auckland Saturday Netball Champions in 2016 and the Upper North Island Secondary Schools tournament runners-up. Who are your school’s closest rivals on the netball court? We try not to think of who we are playing we just look at them as another team we have to play. There is a strong sense of rivalry between our school and MAGS from previous years but this year I think we are all not planning ahead and every team we play is just another team, another obstacle in the way of us reaching our goal. What’s been one memorable match you have played in this year for your school team? The final of the Auckland Champs [beat MAGS 40-35], because we all contributed to the game and played extremely well as a team. The best feelings after the game. What’s been a personal netball highlight for you so far this year? Making the New Zealand Secondary Schools Team and playing with such a high calibre of netballers. How long have you been playing netball? I started playing in Year 6, and just fell in love with the game from the start. Do you have netball role model? Laura Langman, she is so determined and pushes herself no matter how hard it is. What is it that motivates you to play well? Just remembering the support I have from my family is what motivates me the most. What other sports do you play competitively? Touch and volleyball. What are your favourite subjects at school? My favourite subject at school is PE. Looking for USA Scholarships? Check out USA CONNECT Looking for $40000 University of Waikato Study Scholarships CLICK HERE Looking for Sport Exchange Opportunities to Australia CLICK HERE  St Hilda’s Collegiate after their 44-40 win over three-time defending champions St Margaret’s College. The team went on to win their maiden South Island title, beating Marlborough Girls’ College in the final. Photo credit: https://www.facebook.com/SHCScourtside/?hc_ref=SEARCH Mount Albert Grammar School (Upper North Island), Manukura (Lower North Island) and St Hilda’s Collegiate (South Island) are this year’s Winter Tournament Week netball competiton A Grade winners and top seeds from their respective divisions for the NZSS Nationals in Lower Hutt in early October. Brief round-ups from the three tournaments this week are below.
Upper North Island tournament – Papakura Mount Albert Grammar School won the Upper North Island tournament held at Papakura all this week. MAGS beat Auckland rivals St Kentigern College 23-22 in the final on Friday afternoon. MAGS turned the tables on St Kent’s who beat them last week in the Auckland final. Their win was their 10th straight triumph in this tournament. On Friday morning, MAGS defeated Rotorua Girls’ High School 35-18 in one semi-final and St Kentigern College defeated Epsom Girls’ Grammar School 40-22. In two crucial matches to decide the fifth and sixth spots for nationals, Baradene College beat Hillcrest High School 32-21 and Aorere College beat Long Bay College 38-37. One Tree Hill won the B Grade Final, beating Mt Maunganui 35-30, Green Bay College won the C Grade Final, beating Opotiki College 33-24. McAuley High School won the D Grade Final, beating Otahuhu College 41-23. The top six schools from this tournament that have qualified for the NZSS National are: 1. MAGS 2. St Kentigern College 3. Rotorua Girls’ High School 4. Epsom Girls’ Grammar School 5. Aorere College 6.Baradene College Lower North Island tournament - Wanganui Manukura defeated St Mary’s College 27-24 in the A Grade final to win the 2016 Lower North Island tournament. Wellington East Girls’ College beat Palmerston North Girls’ High School 34-27 in the third v fourth match and Wellington Girls’ College edged Sacred Heart College, Lower Hutt, in the all-important fifth v sixth match. The top five finishing teams that will attend nationals are: 1. Manukura 2. St Mary’s College 3. Wellington East Girls’ College 4. Palmerston North Girls’ High School 5. Wellington Girls’ College The Lower North Island Tournament team is: Montel Vaiao Aki (Wanganui High School) Grace McLean (Queen Margaret College) Emily Autagavaia (Manukura) Dana-Jayne Mills (St Mary’s) Ainsleyana Puleiata St Mary’s) Ruhia Tamati (Wanganui High School Hinepounamu Apanui-Barr (Wellington Girls College Diahn Strickland (Manukura Braxton Te Rini (Manukura Jade-Mary Poi (Napier Girls High School) Kahurangi Sturmey (Wanganui High School) Renee Savaiinaea (St Mary’s) Lyric Faleafaga (St Mary’s) Jessica Fagan-Pease (Palmerston North Girls High) Jade Fox (Wellington Girls College) Seasons Turahui-Uawiri (Manukura) South Island tournament – Nelson St Hilda’s Collegiate defeated Marlborough Girls’ College 38-37 in the South Island final. St Hilda’s – with just two Year 13 players in their squad - clinched victory in the dying moments, to win this tournament for the first time ever. It’s also the first time ever they have reached the top five of this tournament and made the NZSS tournament. In reaching the final, they had knocked out three-time defending champions St Margaret’s College 44-40 in the second round of pool play and had then defeated Southland Girls’ High School 42-40 in their semi-final. St Andrew’s College defeated Southland Girls’ High School 35-31 in the playoff for third and fourth. Defending champions St Margaret’s College finished fifth, ahead of Christchurch school Villa Maria College. St Kevin's College beat Westland High 40-36 in the B Grade final and Golden bay High School beat Queen Charlotte College 39-25 in the C Grade final. The top five finishing teams that will attend nationals are: 1. St Hilda’s Collegiate 2. Marlborough Girls' College 3. St Andrew's College 4. Southland Girls’ High School 5 St Margaret's College Looking for USA Scholarships? Check out USA CONNECT Looking for $40000 University of Waikato Study Scholarships CLICK HERE Looking for Sport Exchange Opportunities to Australia CLICK HERE |
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