Netbal: Adine prepares for a great deal more

By Richard Boock

Things are about to become a lot more hectic for New Zealand's youngest Silver Fern, Adine Harper.

Not only does Harper have next week's World Netball Championships in Christchurch on her plate, but also the looming New Zealand Under 21's tour to England and the World Youth Cup in Wales - not to mention the perpetual juggling of her university studies in Dunedin.

If training camps with the Silver Ferns were to be counted, the former Taranaki junior might rank as the world's most-travelled netballer by the time the Welsh trip is completed.

But with the world tournament just around the corner, she's determined to wait until then before counting her air-points.

New Zealand play their opening match of the fortnight-long tournament against Canada next Wednesday.

Harper said that while she had an exciting few months on her horizon, it was important for her to be totally focused and to chase any other distractions out of her mind "All my concentration is on the worlds right now, as you'd expect it to be," she said from Dunedin yesterday.

"I know there's a lot coming up for me, but it's important to take things one step at a time and to not look too far ahead.

"It's been crazy since about 1995, really, when I was first selected in the national under-21s. The next year we went away to the World Youth Cup [in Canada], and from then on - what, with the Coca-Cola Cup, the Caltex Cup and more recently the Silver Ferns - it's been like a runaway train."

The versatile Otago goal- attack-cum-shooter not only represents the start of another generation of Silver Ferns, but also the success of an age-group system which has supplied virtually every player to the current national side.

Of the New Zealand team who won the World Youth Cup in 1992, Julie Seymour, Lesley Nicol, Belinda Blair, Linda Vagana and Teresa Tairi remain in the Silver Ferns.

Harper, Belinda Colling, Anna Rowberry, Bernice Mene, Lorna Suafoa and Donna Loffhagen were in the youth side who finished runners-up in Canada three years ago.

The 20-year-old Harper said the familiarity from so many years together was of huge assistance to the Ferns, and an intangible asset as they plan their attempt to win the world championship title back from Australia.

"Everything's just gone up a step for us, and for me in particular it's been really good that I know so many of the other girls.

"The transition's been very smooth despite the enormity of the occasion and I'm sure that has a lot to do with the understanding and closeness within the squad."

Ostensibly picked as cover in the shooting circle, Harper has made something of a name for herself by playing in all thirds of the court this year, and would not turn down a chance to play anywhere for New Zealand.

"But to tell the truth, I can't see Yvonne [Willering] asking me to play in the defence," she laughed. "I'd go anywhere, but I think she sees my role being closer to the shooting circle."