NZ Secondary Schools Netball Team Announced

Netball New Zealand today announced the New Zealand Secondary Schools Netball Team to play in next month’s Trans Tasman Secondary Schools Netball Challenge held in Auckland.

The team was selected from 24 players who attended trials in Christchurch last week. The competition is based in New Zealand and Australia on alternate years, with five of the current Silver Ferns being previous members of the side.

New Zealand Secondary Schools Coach Adrienne Morrin said this year’s team is a really exciting group, the players having mainly been identified by their regions in the NZ Talent Development programme.

“The NZ Secondary Schools team is an important part of Netball New Zealand’s High Performance programme, and is the starting point for many players who will eventually play their way into the Silver Ferns, this is just the start for many of these talented young players,” Morrin said.

“Playing other Secondary Schools sides, especially their Australian counterparts is really exciting for these players, and a great development opportunity for them,” she said.

The Trans Tasman Secondary Schools Netball Challenge runs from 5-7 June in Auckland, and will feature the Australian & NZ Secondary School teams along with Aotearoa Maori, Pasifika and Indigenous School Sport Australia.

The 2009 NZ Secondary Schools Team is:

Name School Region

Shooters

Te Paea Selby-Rickit,                       TKKM o Te Rito,                                                Western

Carli Botes,                                           Rangitoto College,                                            North

Ashleigh Smith,                                  St Peters College,                                              Southland

Kayla Cullen,                                        Auckland Girls Grammar Auckland, Waitakere

Mid Court

Sheridan Bignall,                                TCS Tu Toa,                                                         Western

Anderley Gordon,                             Palmerston North Girls High School,        Western

Natasha Hunkin,                                Auckland Girls Grammar School,                North

Kirsten Hurley,                                   St Kentigern College,                                      Counties Manukau

Defence

Greer Patterson,                               New Plymouth Girls High School,              Western

Sulu Tone-Fitzpatrick,                      St Cuthberts College Auckland, Waitakere

Emma Weeninck,                              Wellington Girls College,                               Wellington

Amy Christophers,                            Otumoetai College,                                          Bay of Plenty