Twin coach role in Masterton

Martinborough and Carterton New World Lynx will have at least one thing in common when they take the court in the Netball Wairarapa premier one competition which starts at the Colombo Rd courts in Masterton tomorrow.
Taking a player-coach role for newbies Martinborough is Kim Whiteman and she is also coach of the Carterton Lynx combination.
Asked to assess the prospects of the two teams in a competition which will initially involve 10 sides - later cut to six - Whiteman makes no rash predictions, rather she is content to label them both as serious contenders for the main championship round.
"Obviously the objective is to make the top-six and it would be nice to think they will do that," she said. "Once you've got that far anything can happen."
Martinborough's entry in regional one came as something of a surprise, with Whiteman saying the original intention to play in premier two was changed when it was discovered they were going to have more depth to their playing resources than first realised.
A major gain was the well-performed ex-Kuranui College defender Te Ata Phillips and other notable acquisitions include Jess Rutherford, also from Kuranui, and goal shoot Kim Holsted, a former Wairarapa under-19 rep who is making a return to the sport. Regulars Sue Brown, Rachael Pickering and Catherine Jacobs should all make an impact and Whiteman herself will be in the midcourt.
Carterton Lynx has gained the services of a former Taranaki development player, midcourter Hannah Brewer, and an ex-Wairarapa College defender, Charlotte Greig. Sally Newcombe has the versatility to play at either goal shoot or goal keep, while another talented utility is Annalise Scott. Shooter Mel Perkins and defender Mel Cullen add solidity to the side.
Martinborough have a tough ask tomorrow when they take on Celtic, who won the regional one title a couple of seasons ago and are disputing early favouritism for this year's crown with defending champions Harcourts.
Carterton Lynx are up against another of the newcomers to premier one play, Trevs 1, while Wairarapa College take on Pioneer Blue, Harcourts meet St Matthew's and Makoura play NZCU Baywide Gladstone.