Netball: Bench buddies on the ball

Sonya Hapi (left) and Kenzie Turnbull quietly go about their business at the PG Arena, Taradale. Photo / Duncan Brown

They blend into the backdrop of the Pettigrew Green Arena, studiously taking stock of the proceedings with the eye of a clerk of works at a building construction site.

The chances are they go through netball games without anyone ever noticing them, almost to the extent where they become a subconscious state of the umpires, players, team officials and often oblivious fans.

"We don't mind that at all," says Sonya Hapi, a bench official at the Super 6, the Hawke's Bay Netball premier indoor competition which restarts after the school holidays tomorrow. There is one change - the competition shifts from Napier to the Woodford House gym and AW Parson's Stadium in Waipukurau because the Taradale venue is unavailable.

Says fellow bench official Kenzie Turnbull of their input well before the game starts at 6pm: "At the end of the day, we're all volunteers."

Hapi, of Flaxmere, an adult education administrator, and Turnbull, of Napier, an insurance brokerage administrator, took up the duties after listening to their bodies as players.

In their 40s now, they'll be the first to admit they were venturing into the unknown when they finished as MAC and Napier Tech players, respectively.

"When I was playing netball, I had no idea that this was a thing," says Hapi, who has been officiating for almost a decade after HB Netball bench official co-ordinator Julie Shaw put her on the right track.

"I really enjoyed it and it's the best seat in the house," she says, revealing umpiring wasn't her thing.

Having children means Hapi can perform her tasks every other day but keep Saturdays free for the family.

Turnbull has been at it since 1988 although she picked up a whistle as an umpire at the same time before putting it down five years ago. She reckons she's definitely better at officiating than she was playing.

Hapi and Turnbull are among half a dozen Bay bench officials who have national level accreditation so they help others coming through the ranks.

Nobody is above another.

Accuracy is their game.

"That we're working as a team is one of the biggest challenges but that we are under the radar sometimes also has its challenges," explains Hapi of a commitment that demands precision timing, scoring, collating shooters' statistics and keeping up with wardrobe changes amid a flurry of exchanges of bibs each quarter.

Says Turnbull: "You have to use your mind and be on the ball all the time."

It's a multi-tasking ritual that doesn't discriminate between genders.

"We're not seen as important as umpires and players and granted they have difficult work to do but sometimes the accuracy of scores and time are such important components that if you miss it they'll protest," says Hapi. Consequently, "being bench official ready" is just as significant as an umpire or player "being court ready".

While they pride themselves in accuracy, they resign themselves to the edict that perfection is an elusive state.

Staying calm in the knowledge they can fall back on a contingency plan is crucial.

Hapi casts her mind back to a game a few seasons ago when a child tripped the fire alarm during an ANZ Championship game, prompting an evacuation of the PG Arena.

"I had to make sure what time we left, how long we were out for, so those are the challenges because you have to think on your feet," she says of the 10-minute hiatus.

At an elite level, the games are important to players so bench officials bring their A game.

Their books don't always balance but cohesiveness is vital.

"We want to keep an accurate running score.

"Another is who's shooting the goals while the electronic clock keeps a fair track of the score so that at all times we're connecting with each other and balancing."

People offer their services into their 70s and 80s, albeit not at the big games.

"As long as you feel like you can push the buttons, write things down and be accurate with a good team supporting you, I don't see why you can't carry on," says Hapi.

Her daughter, Ashanti, 15, plays netball and often helps her out.

"She's quite confident doing the jobs but she isn't keen to go to tournaments although one day she may."

Like Turnbull, she has international aspirations and has officiated in the Silver Ferns v Jamaica test in Napier.

"But we need to have international tournaments here to do that," she says, although she is keen to travel if picked on her performance.

Hapi is embarking on a statistician's course. It's a different level where every touch of the ball and every intercept is recorded during tourneys.

Turnbull has presided at matches ranging from secondary school and NZ age-group tourneys to ANZ Championship, Fast 5 Series and test matches as well as the 2007 World Championship staged in Auckland.

The former Napier Netball Centre official was instrumental in starting a "junior whistles" programme in the 1990s that spawned countless enthusiasts.

Super 6 draws:

For rd 5 of the championship stage of the HB Netball games at the AW Parsons Stadium, Waipukurau, and Woodford House gym tomorrow:

* 6pm: Havelock North Jazz Apples Kauri v All In Elusive, WH 1.
Umpires: P Castles & D Thomas.

* 7pm: Outkast Optimise Physio v Central Sports Vet Services HB, AWP 1.
Umpires: K Ives & T Gardiner.

* 7.30pm: Otane Thirsty Whale v. Hastings High School Old Girls Proactive Huias WH 1.
Umpires: H Lewis & N Corbett.

Reserve umpires: AWP, A Waretini WH 6pm, K Jones 7.30pm, A Williams.
Bench officials: AWP, S1 M Newland; S2 C Jamieson. T1, S Spencer; T2, J Shaw. WH 6pm S1, N Maev.