Netball: The fame of height

Force Goal Shoot Cathrine Latu. Picture / Richard Robinson

Catherine Latu
Born: Bay of Islands, October 25, 1986
Height: 1.92m
Positions: GS, GK
Occupation: Student studying social science at AUT

Career highlights

2006: Samoa Commonwealth Games team
2005: Samoa under-21 side
2005/06: Force
2005: North Harbour, NPC champions

Ask 1.92m-tall Force shooter Catherine Latu what stands out in her fledgling career and she points to an extraordinary two weeks in October last year.

It started in Dunedin at the national provincial championships.

Latu, playing at goal shoot, helped the Yvonne Willering-coached North Harbour to their first title since 1997.

A few days later, Latu was in New Plymouth at the New Zealand secondary school championships where, playing at the other end of the court at goal keep, she helped Massey High School beat arch-rivals Auckland Girls Grammar to win the national title.

It was Massey's first national title, and revenge for their loss to Grammar in the previous year's final.

A remarkable two weeks for one of the game's rising stars who also just happens to be the part of the tallest attacking duo in the National Bank Cup with 1.94m-tall Daneka Wipiiti.

Born in the Bay of Islands, Latu was introduced to the game at Kawakawa Primary. Because of her height she played at goal keep, much to her dislike.

"I think it's every kid's dream to shoot the ball, so I used to steal the bib whenever I could," she says.

"I have always been hugely taller than my friends and some of the boys."

But it wasn't something she was conscious of growing up because all her family share the trait.

Height, strength, power and a seeming lack of fear - which comes through in the way she snatches the ball - are Latu's key attributes.

"It is all about the ball and if you really want it you will do anything to get it. I guess it just looks like I really, really want it, which is right."

Latu - and yes, she is a cousin to Sharks league player Tevita Latu - turned out for various Northland representative sides before her family moved to Massey in West Auckland when she was 15.

She played for the Auckland/Waitakere under-21 side before switching allegiance to North Harbour where she was named in the open side in 2004. The team included a raft of current and former Silver Ferns, and although Latu was shy she learned a lot.

A member of the Samoan under-21 side which competed in last year's World Youth Cup, Latu represented Samoa at the Commonwealth Games in March.

Ultimately she wants to become a Silver Fern, which would require a stand-down period.

After three rounds of the cup, Latu is positioned among the top 10 shooters with an 84 per cent shooting record.

Although improving her accuracy is her main focus, Latu is also looking for further success to add to those impressive two weeks in October.