Dannevirke: Netballers fly flag for town

TJ Alexander, 12, and Lyric Paewai, 11, celebrate their selection for the Ikaroa ki te Raki Maori under-13 team. Photo/Christine McKay

The selection of three young Dannevirke netballers for Ikaroa ki te Raki Maori netball teams playing in the Aotearoa Maori Netball tournament was a coup for our district, netball officials say.

Ikaroa ki te Raki is the region which covers Manawatu, Horowhenua, Taihape, Dannevirke, Hastings and surrounding areas and this is the 27th year the prestigious tournament has been held.

The three, Tajalee (Lilee) Stephenson, Lyric Paewai and TJ Alexander, were flying the flag for a proud Dannevirke Netball Centre at the tournament in Tauranga, centre administrator Jo Blyth said.

"All the time and energy being put into Dannevirke's young netball players through programmes such as the Netball FUNdamentals is paying off.

"The Dannevirke Netball Centre is proud to see these up and coming players selected as part of the Ikaro ki te raki teams and we were also pleased to be able to offer them some financial support as they represent our local community."

Lilee Stephenson, a pupil at Manukura School in Palmerston North, has been competing in the AMNOHL tournament for five years and at the weekend was named in the transtasman Secondary Maori squad.

"I first began playing in the under-13 team and in 2011 I was selected for the under-15 tournament team and for the under-17 tournament team in 2012," she said.

"Last year I played above my age level in the under-19 grade and was then selected as one of the top 20 in the whole tournament to trial for the Aotearoa Maori Secondary School team which was a big achievement."

Lilee said in the years she's played in the Maori netball tournament her team has been winners or runners up.

But life isn't all sport for the teenager. School and academic achievement come first. She worked to finish an English assessment before heading to Tauranga late last week.

"I have basically dedicated myself to netball and school ever since I started high school. I have been training twice a day every day since Year 9. I am now in Year 13. But school definitely comes before netball, no matter what," she said.

Rangitane chief executive Oriana Paewai said: "Lilee has been a part of Ikaroa netball for a number of years and she is a wonderful role model for girls and young women who aspire to achieve in all spheres, including academically, in sport and te ao Maori."

For 11-year-old Lyric Paewai and 12-year-old TJ Alexander, netball is a fun sport.

"I've been playing since Future Ferns grade," goal shoot, TJ said.

However, Mrs Blyth acknowledged the success of all Dannevirke netballers was due to the volunteers who support the game in town.

"Dannevirke netball wouldn't be able to run without the numerous volunteers who support us in so many ways," she said.

Coach Melissa Nikora said the tournament was a great experience.

"They had the chance to go up against top netballers and although the under-13 team didn't do as well as hoped, they still had some amazing games," she said.

"The under-19s, however, had an amazing tournament and won their grade and we're all very proud of Lilee and her great achievement in being named in the transtasman squad."