Skilful Telfer named for Netball North side

The year  keeps getting better for Whangarei Girls' High School premier grade netballer Sian Telfer.
The 16-year-old has just been named in the Netball North squad to contest the National Provincial Competition starting on September 5.
"I was really shocked - I couldn't believe it," she said about her selection. "I was hoping I would make the second team but when then I made the first team ... it's a big step up for me."
Telfer was chosen for her speed and skills at  centre or wing defence, and joins the squad of 16 including Northern Mystics representatives Vilimaina Davu and Temepara George. "The selectors chose 16 because we have two Silver Fern trialists (Davu and George) and if they are chosen we will be covered," Telfer said.
In Year 12 at school, Telfer demonstrates huge maturity in all she does and WGHS coach Hayley Taylor said her student was a star. "She is very busy and still manages to keep up with all her school work," Taylor said.
"It is fantastic she made this squad. I believe she would be one of the youngest - from Northland at least - to make that side."
When the Northern Advocate spoke to Telfer, she was  in the South Island with her New Zealand Academy Basketball team, who had just contested the second leg of the Women's Basketball Championship in Dunedin.
While Telfer is an outstanding netballer and attended TuToa Maori Sports Academy in Palmerston North to concentrate on the sport, she is also a promising basketballer.
Telfer has one tournament left to play with the NZ Academy and the added commitments with Netball North has not fazed her.
"I've had a look and the basketball and netball don't clash, so it will be fine," she said confidently.
Under coaches and former Silver Ferns Rita Fatialofa and Linda Vagana, Telfer will train twice a week with the Netball North squad. "We play six games against other regional teams and then have a week-long tournament for the finals," she said. "But before that we are going to South Africa."
Next month the Netball North side  will go to South Africa for two weeks to play three teams.
Telfer will be joined by ex-WGHS student Charmaine Smith, the older sister of  WGHS premier grade player Amelia Smith, in the  Netball North team.
Meanwhile, fellow WGHS premier grade team mate Luana Beazley-Tango made the NPC Netball North second team.