Rotorua's Aorangi School awarded ANZ Netball Grant

Aorangi School has been awarded an ANZ Netball Grant. Photo / Supplied

Aorangi School can step on to the court with confidence this season after being awarded an ANZ Netball Grant.

The grants give netball clubs and teams throughout Aotearoa a chance to apply for help to advance their training and put their best foot forward on game day.

Aorangi School sports co-ordinator Karen Anderson applied for the grant to help encourage her students to play netball after not having a team since 2017.

"I'm targeting Year 1 to 3 children," she said.

"If I can get them enthused enough, they might want to play netball. This gear will give them that opportunity.

"When I first joined the school in 2004 there were lots of girls who were interested in netball. Over the years our netball has dwindled. We don't have as many kids on the courts on Saturdays. We're trying to push netball from a school level. So if we have the gear here, everyone can get involved."

The gear grant including two portable goal hoops, training and match balls, bibs, spot markers, gear bag, and more will help Aorangi School offer more sport to their 90 students while keeping costs down.

"The grant will get our kids back into playing netball. Word of mouth will spread around that netball is really cool and hopefully, we'll get a team."

Aorangi School students can look forward to fun on the netball court this season. Photo / Supplied

She said not having enough players to form a team is a common occurrence for country schools but often when given the chance, the kids are too shy to join up and make a team.

"I'd like to concentrate on my own school and get them up and running. Then, if other kids don't have a team, we can work on it."

"The way things are going we'll have a Year 1 to 3 team next year. Sometimes we have more boys and sometimes more girls but we're open to all joining the team."

ANZ Head of Sponsorship Sue McGregor said: "We're proud to be supporting netball from grassroots teams in Rotorua right up to the ANZ Premiership and Silver Ferns.

"It's local teams such as Aorangi School that will introduce our youngsters to netball and nurture their love for the game into the passion we see in our elite players today. We hope this grant helps keep the passion for netball alive in the community for many seasons to come."