Teen boy a hit in school netball side

Netballer Creedance Kirikiri-Brown in action. Photo / Andrew Warner

No sport is off limits for Creedance Kirikiri-Brown. He has excelled in a diverse range including touch, volleyball, sevens, First XV rugby, surf lifesaving and swimming.

But his love for netball sets him apart from his peers.

Creedance, 17, plays for a senior men's team and a mixed team in Rotorua and for Papamoa College in the secondary schools' competition held every Friday night at the Harbourside Netball Centre at Blake Park in Mount Maunganui.

He normally plays goal shoot or goal attack but is also a talented centre.

"I just was trying out new sports really. I like to give everything a go and my parents are people who like to play all-rounded sports, so I thought I would jump in and have a go at netball," Creedance said.

"It went far beyond what I thought it would."

Creedance admits playing in the girls' competition is a lot different than playing against men.

"It is also really different being on court and being the only guy. It is a good challenge though because girls really do step up their game in netball.

"Skill-wise they are just as good. Definitely the differences are in speed, agility and the men being able to jump twice as high. Basically, the whole game changes with men."

Rachelle Frame, who is co-coach of his Papamoa College team with Rachel Martin, said Creedance "has come in with great vigour".

Creedance Kirikiri-Brown in a team huddle for Papamoa. Photo / Andrew Warner

"The experience he is bringing through from the Rotorua men's netball has been amazing. He comes in with their skills and drills, and the girls have enveloped Creedance very well," Frame said.

"We got a lot of feedback from our pre-season tournament when we had a lot of coaches coming up to us and were positive about him playing and how we made it happen.

"Creedance is also ecstatic about passing his online umpire's certificate so he can umpire now."