City to host men’s netball champs
Appointing a Southlander as a goto person for teams at the New Zealand Men’s Netball Championships is an important part of hosting the event in Invercargill, administrator Angee Shand says.
Shand is the Southland-based organiser for the four-day championships, being held at ILT Stadium Southland from September 13 to 16.
Having a go-to person would help teams with information about the city, its attractions and services, Shand said.
Nineteen teams, including three from Australia, will be competing in the three grades - A and B open, and under-23.
Southland’s two teams are Southland Gold and Southland Maroon.
Invercargill is hosting the championships for the first time in the 33-year history of men’s netball in New Zealand. Shand pushed hard to get hosting rights for Invercargill during her five years on the executive of New Zealand Men’s and Mixed Netball Association.
Just before leaving the executive in 2015, she was told Invercargill had been confirmed for 2017.
‘‘I’m thrilled to get the men’s netball community down here to see what we’ve got ... we’ve got great facilities, accommodation and a world-class stadium,’’ Shand said.
She believes both Southland teams would do well at the championships, especially the Natalie Avellino-coached Southland Gold.
‘‘Gold is a really strong team ... it’s stacked with talent from management to players,’’ Shand said. ‘‘Our maroon team is very talented with emerging and upand-coming players. They will also be a team to watch.’’
The championships are an opportunity for players to win favour with national selectors who will be courtside.
‘‘[Player] performances are really important if they want to go on and represent New Zealand.’’
Waaka Parkinson is the only Southlander to have played in a New Zealand men’s team.
Shand is in her 37th year playing netball and has been involved with men’s netball in Southland for 20 years - mostly as a manager. She is president of Southland Men’s Netball.
Money to cover the cost of running Southland men’s netball is gained mostly from fundraising, the latest activity being a garage sale on Saturday.
Also on Shand’s CV is being a life member of St Mary’s Netball Club, longstanding St Mary’s club captain, manager of Southern Steel in 2011, member of Netball South’s governance board, Sky Television statistician, coaching at different levels, has managed six New Zealand teams, and recipient of a NZ Men’s and Mixed Netball Association service award.
Social grade netball had helped to attract men into the sport, as well as some becoming interested from watching their wives and partners play, Shand said.
‘‘They’ve been dragged along to watch and realised it’s a great game,’’ she said.