HNHS Magazine 2021 online | Page 76

The 2021 Senior A netball team had a great all round season where both success and major growth was displayed with the help and guidance of new coaches Julie and Arona Williams . With eight returning players from the previous season , which included Libby Charlton , Sophia Langford , Keiryn Rowe , McKenzie Rowe , Elle Lovatt , Jess White , Belle Rainger and Lucy Smith , it brought a large amount of knowledge to be able to confidently introduce three promising junior players - Luchia Wynne-Lewis , Sofia Lumbreras and Amponsaa Tabi-Amponsah to this year ’ s team . Many senior players were named in either development squads or the representative teams for Hawke ’ s Bay netball where great results were achieved . Early on in the season improvement was quickly shown due to our coaches bringing a large amount of new knowledge to the team as well as helping us to gain good habits . Each game saw stronger connections form and our gameplay became smoother and much more structured . This was largely reflected in our first couple games of the season where we had large scoring wins which saw us make the Super 12 grade without any losses . The next round saw us continue our winning streak until we came across Napier Girls ’ High School and Hastings Girls ’ High School with two extremely close losses . The close games brought excitement and hope to the team early on and our coaches trained us hard in order to see the results we were all aiming for . The week before the third and fourth play-off , just before Covid-19 hit , we came up against Woodford House in a close battle resulting in a loss for our team . The following week we were scheduled to come up against Woodford House again to battle it out for third and fourth . The loss in the previous week resulted in determination throughout the entire team

76 and we knew what we had to do to achieve a win in the game that mattered . However , Covid-19 saw us having to cut the season short as we did not get the chance to play in the play-offs . This was extremely disappointing , as we had no idea that we had played our final game of netball for the season . The following news that the Lower North Island Tournament week was cancelled for the second year in a row , due to the pandemic , was extremely upsetting . This year ’ s team was extremely fit and prepared to take on the week ’ s tournament with success as well as great coaches to support us . This brought great disappointment to our Year 13 players which included Libby Charlton , Belle Rainger and McKenzie Rowe as we couldn ’ t play our final game for Havelock North High School .

As a team , we would like to thank both of our amazing coaches Julie and Arona Williams for stepping into a new role for 2021 . The knowledge and experience that they brought to our players was largely appreciated and we thank you for the time that you have given to us . I would also like to thank our manager Amanda Onekawa who was always organised and there for us to ensure that we were at our best in order to play well . To the girls that I have played alongside for the season , it has been such an enjoyable experience to be able to captain you all . The bonds and connections that we formed both on and off court , will be a memory that I ’ m sure will last long after our time at high school is up . The growth and development that has been shown throughout the season has been extremely rewarding with major thanks to our coaches for helping us to achieve this . I am sure that next season will bring large success with the remaining eight players and I wish you all the best .

Libby Charlton , Captain