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Every now and then, you have one of those weeks where you have to pinch yourself and think, “How lucky am I?” This weekend was definitely one of them.
When PIC Insurance Brokers recommitted to Netball Northern for another season, they wanted to do something with it: shine a light on the volunteers who keep community netball running. Centres across the zone answered the call, and three volunteers took out a PIC prize pack of Mystics tickets, match day vouchers and a walk through with the players.
The Netball New Zealand U18 Tournament showcased the next generation of talent, and while the scoreboard told one story, the heart, courage and determination displayed on court told another.
Charley Fear and Elle Rumbal were among the Pukekohe Netball Centre umpires who headed south to the 2026 U14 and U16 National Tournament in New Plymouth – one at her first nationals, one on her third trip with the same rep team. Both came home with something to work on.
When Natasha Mouat stepped out to umpire the men's final at this year's National U18 Championships in Christchurch, she was nervous but excited. It was her first national age group final - the kind of appointment umpires work years for.
At the recent NNZ U18 Championships in Christchurch, we filmed and coded every single team's warmup. Not to catch anyone out – to find out whether the NetballSmart Dynamic Warm Up (NSDWU) is actually doing its job once it leaves the resource pack and hits a real court, under real tournament pressure.
Zak Middleton knew something was up the moment he spotted a familiar figure in the Hamilton crowd trying to hide their face.
Last month we celebrated 18 coaches earning their Netball New Zealand coaching awards and the momentum hasn't slowed. Another 16 coaches from across the Zone have now completed theirs, bringing our recent total to 34.