Netball: Young sporting sensation Kate Heffernan promoted into Southern Steel

Erikana Pedersen of the Tactix tries to stop a pass by Kate Heffernan of the Steel. Photo / Photosport

One of New Zealand sport's rising stars is about to make her mark in a second discipline.

18-year-old Kate Heffernan was promoted into the Southern Steel netball side earlier this week to play in the ANZ Premiership as a replacement for Dani Gray, who suffered a serious knee injury back in round four.

It's not the first time this year the Otago teen has made a breakthrough in the sporting world, having debuted for the White Ferns cricket team in March.

Heffernan played in two Twenty20s against the West Indies, and has proven handy on the netball court as well, making her first appearance for the Steel last Monday.

Having played as a training partner during the Steel's pre-season, Heffernan said she was surprised to officially join the team.

"It was really exciting when I got the call about it as I had been in and out of the team for the last few weeks," she said.

"This year the focus was more to play in BEKO League level and to make the most of every opportunity I got with the Steel as a training partner … but I knew that I would be an option and could be called in if needed."

"They've helped me so much and they are so supportive and helpful, it's a really good team to be around."

"I think that their success on the court is definitely driven by what they do off the court, they are a really close-knit group of girls … they do spend a lot of time together."

Kate Heffernan made her White Ferns debut earlier this year. Photo / Getty

And despite the natural challenges of balancing two sporting codes, Heffernan said she had been very lucky to receive the support she needed.

"It's always been pretty good being a winter and summer sport and I've never really had the two clash until this year having a lot more off-season and all-year-round stuff happening, so it is harder now," she said.

"But both sports are really understanding and really supportive of the other for me to keep doing both, so they've made it really easy for me."

Fortunate enough to be part of the high-performance environment in both cricket and netball, Heffernan said she was making the most of every opportunity to learn from the best.

"It's come really fast, looking back to last year I never thought I would be playing at the level I am in either of the sports, I would never have guessed it."

"I'm definitely learning a lot every day with the Steel girls and when I was away with the cricket girls I was learning so much."

"Being around the experts and the likes of Wendy Frew [for netball] and Suzie Bates for cricket has been really cool, you can't get much better than that as a young athlete."

Heffernan will look to take to the court for the second time this season in the Steel dress when the Southerners take on the Mystics tonight at Auckland's North Shore Events Centre.