Netball: Juggling act for star, worker, mother

By Sarah Nealon

Temepara George must surely be one of the busiest netballers in New Zealand.

The 23-year-old former Silver Fern captains the Cometz in the national netball league, has a full-time job, plays touch rugby for Western Samoa and is mother to five-year-old Justine and Erin-Wayne (19 months).

But with the Coca-Cola Cup in full swing, the Cometz centre can only make it to touch practice once a week.

"I'm off to Sydney in May to play touch at the world cup," she said. "But luckily my team doesn't mind that I can't get to all of the practices."

A freight-forwarder at Auckland Airport, George said she would not be able to lead her fast-paced lifestyle without the help of her mother.

"Mum is a full-time nana. She takes care of the kids when I'm at work and on lots of other occasions. I don't think I would have been able to get where I am today without her. I'm really lucky to have her."

A keen netballer since age seven, the Manukau woman started her career in the sport playing goal attack but soon found that she was more suited to centre.

"While everyone around me was growing, I stayed short. I'm only 1.67m, which isn't that tall for a netballer."

But what she lacks in height, she makes up in ball skills.

In 1996 she made it into the Silver Ferns and went to Australia with the side.

She was included in the Auckland Development squad at aged 18 and has also represented Collegiate, Counties and Auckland.

Tonight she plays against her old team the Diamonds at the Allan Brewster Centre in Papatoetoe.

Also playing tonight are the Western Flyers, who received a 17-goal thrashing from the Otago Rebels last Sunday. They take on the Magic at New Plymouth.

The Southern Sting meet the Rebels at Dunedin tonight.