For the first time, Rolleston Senior A netball team has made it into the SuperNet Reserve competition after a convincing win over Burnside in a promotion / relegation game. Since their inclusion into the competition Rolleston have had some outstanding wins in their section which put them into a good position heading into the semi-final play off game against Papanui. A close win (28-24) against Papanui placed them up against Rangi Ruru Girls for 1st / 2nd in the SuperNet Reserve competition. A great achievement for a team in their first season in the SuperNet competition.
We caught up with the teams captains AJ Rush (1) & Izzy Hill (2) to hear from them about their teams successes, challenges and what it means to them about being in the SuperNet Reserve competition.
What do you enjoy most about getting to represent your school?
- Being proud of achieving for the school and only being here for a short time need to enjoy it.
- Playing with mates
How important is to you to be apart of a team?
- Very important, I enjoy the team environment and getting to play twice a week with the girls
- Since Rolleston College is such a new school every game we play is working towards success to leave a legacy. Knowing that the milestones we are achieving are going to be remembered in the schools history and the next generation will only achieve more
What have you learnt about teamwork since being apart of this team?
- We are all in it together and working with each other who have different skill sets that range from Year 10 – Year 13
- Teamwork is so much more than being together on the court, we have all made such close friendships and I feel as though this is what makes our connections on court so strong. The ages in our team also vary, us seniors make sure we look after the younger ones but still push them to be the best they can so when they get to our age they will do the same
What have been some of your challenges as a team this season?
- The pressure of getting into SuperNet has been a challenge and adjusting to a new team and new team game play structure
- Starting the season we had one goal and that was to make SuperNet Reserve, this meant we had to consistently play to our best to ensure we won all our games and topped our grade giving us the opportunity to play off for a spot in SuperNet Reserve. I think the biggest challenge we faced was calming the nerves and excitement before our game against Burnside because we all knew we could play well and beat the team but without being calm and playing smart it could have been anyone’s game.
What does being in the SuperNet Reserve competition mean to you and your team?
- After 4 years of trying, it’s good to make it and not having to play at Hagley is bonus
- It feels as though we have made it. This has been a goal for us over the past 4 years and now we can only go up from here. I love that all the mahi we have put in has finally paid off and we are putting Rolleston on the map.
On the back of a successful SuperNet Reserve campaign, finishing 2nd place, Rolleston Senior A team went on to compete at the South Island Secondary Schools netball competition held during Winter Tournament Week. The team placed 1st in B grade. Well done to Rolleston College for an outstanding season. Your dedication and hard work throughout the season has paid off.