Hawke's Bay Netball operations manager Tina Arlidge labelled yesterday as the biggest in the history of her organisation and nobody will contest that.
Wellington-based Hawke's Bay midcourter Kimiora Poi shone in an impact role as her New Zealand under-21 team won the World Youth Cup title in Botswana with a 60-57 win against Australia in the final. Within hours the Hawke's Bay under-17 team opened their national tournament in Pukekohe with two wins.
"We're really proud of Kimi as well as the under-17s. Several of the players in the under-17 side went to Napier Girls' High School when Kimi was there and from what I hear most of the team watched coverage of the final so it proved an ideal form of motivational ammunition for the team," Arlidge said.
Poi also represented the Hawke's Bay under-17 team under current coach Lee-Anne Taylor. Yesterday Taylor's troops beat Mid Canterbury 59-26 and Whangarei 30-29.
Against Mid Canterbury the Bay made a slick start and established a commanding 17-7 lead. Imke Kitchin, a 2016 world record holder for her age group on the erg, and Aotearoa Maori Secondary Schools rep Asher Grapes worked the shooting circle well to provide clear options for midcourt captain Hinehea Keil and vice-captain Myer Crawford-Pakoti.