Wilson’s mantra for success
It’s a simple, but effective mantra Silver Fern Maia Wilson draws on before every game.
‘‘I am strong, I bring presence, and I can shoot.’’
Professional sport is all about grabbing opportunities and Wilson did just that in New Zealand’s 64-48 Nations Cup win over England on Monday.
In just her second test for the Ferns since debuting in 2016, she thrived in Maria Folau’s vacant goal shoot spot. The retirement of Ferns shooting great Folau has created an opening at goal shoot and Wilson seized her chance in Nottingham, landing 27 from 29 in her best outing in the black dress.
Backing up that play in Birmingham today (6.30am start NZ time) against Jamaica and their outstanding defender Shamera Sterling will be the next challenge.
‘‘I want to go back to my affirmations of: ‘I am strong, I bring presence, and I can shoot’,’’ Wilson told Stuff.
‘‘As long as I can do my job, then I’m happy with my performance.’’
Leading into the England game, Wilson and Te Paea Selby-Rickit were in a head to head battle for the starting goal shoot bib to begin the post Folau era.
Wilson learned she’d got the nod 24 hours before the game when the starting lineup was shown to the players on a whiteboard at their team meeting. She was stunned and honoured.
‘‘If I’d found out just before the game started I would have freaked
Maia Wilson
out a little bit and got a bit over the top.
‘‘I was just basically saying to myself throughout the whole day affirmations in my head and basically when we stepped out on court that was the same thing that came into my head.’’
Wilson got into her rhythm early, sinking all 12 first quarter attempts, to get her confidence flowing. Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua rotated Wilson and SelbyRickit around, giving them both two quarters.
When she returned after halftime, having sat out the second quarter, she picked up where she left off. She drained 14 from 16 in a dominant 15-minute showing.
It was a coming of age performance from Wilson, made extra special with her family watching from the stands.
A schoolgirl prodigy at Auckland’s Mount Albert Grammar and key member of the Youth World Cup title-winning New Zealand under-21 side in 2017, Wilson has had to bide her time at senior level.
She debuted for the Ferns in 2016 as an 18-year-old, but Monday was just her 11th test.
Stuck behind Folau and Ameliaranne Ekenasio, and with
Selby-Rickit and Bailey Mes also used at goal shoot, court time has been scarce with the Ferns.
Wilson wasn’t required for the Ferns’ failed 2018 Commonwealth Games showing on the Gold Coast, where they placed fourth. Last year, her name was missing from the Ferns’ World Cup squad, when they snapped a 16-year title drought in Liverpool.
Those bumps in the road have only strengthened her resolve. Wilson regularly has to remind herself she’s still only 22.
‘‘I think missing Commonwealth Games and World Cup that was something really tough to be able to deal with in the moment. Now looking back at how I’ve been able to be resilient and come out of that, I’m really proud of myself.’’
Talk to netball coaches around the country and the one knock on Wilson has often been her fitness.
Wilson is the first to admit strength and conditioning has sometimes been a struggle. The strides she’s made over the past few years had been huge and a lesson to any young netballer.
She is the fittest she’s been and revealed she was hitting 16.6 in the Ferns’ yoyo test, which measures an athlete’s ability to perform repeated interval runs over a prolonged period. Considering she was battling to reach 14.5 in 2016 it’s quite the improvement.
‘‘Fitness has never been my strength, but to really get over that obstacle and to be able to push through I’m really proud.’’
Wilson is taking it one day at a time, living by her mantra, and her growth on the netball court is evident for all to see.
‘‘As long as I can do my job, then I’m happy with my performance.’’