Mackle teaches skills to Craighead
Nicola Mackle went back to where it all began yesterday - Craighead Diocesan High School.
The former Craighead Diocesan head pupil began to take netball seriously at high school, but is now in Christchurch playing for the Mainland Tactix, in the transTasman netball league.
While the Tactix failed to make the playoffs, it was a good season for Mackle, who appeared in a number of matches.
She was back in town as part of a training clinic organised by the ANZ branches in Timaru, with sessions also taking place at Waimataitai School and Timaru Girls’ High School.
Mackle was joined in Timaru by team-mates Mwayi Kumwenda and Louise Thayer.
The 23-year-old said it was great returning to her old province.
‘‘I always enjoy coming home when I can and to help out and do something like this at my old school is great.’’
Mackle, who often wears the centre bib, said she was loving her time with the Tactix.
‘‘It’s great fun. We have a really good group of girls and hopefully we can keep all of us together because we are always continuing to improve and I’m looking forward to next season and seeing how we go in the new competition.’’
Mackle said playing for the Mainland Tactix was something she was really ‘‘loving’’.
‘‘I really enjoy it and we all get along really well together.’’
Formerly of Clandeboye, Mackle boarded at Craighead from year nine.
‘‘I had a lot of fun at the school I loved my time there. It was a great place to learn and an awesome place for my netball.’’
She credited Craighead with part of her success on the court to date.
‘‘We were incredibly strong when I was there. We made the national championships for a few years in a row and the netball was great,’’ she said.
‘‘It’s where I got the hunger to be a professional netballer.’’
Mackle, who had a strong season for the Tactix, was superb all season, after overcoming a serious knee injury sustained during the 2015 preseason to make her return to the court in 2016.
She said it was great being able to give something back to her old school.
‘‘The girls are willing to learn and really appreciative of the drills we are teaching them.
‘‘The best thing about it is you can tell them something and they will go away and look to improve it and practice it.’’
Mackle said some talented future.
The drills Thayer, Kumwenda and Mackle had the schoolgirls performing were skills used by the Tactix at training sessions during the season. the school had players for the