Wilshier’s so excited by her new challenge
Livewire New Zealand midcourter Ali Wilshier says she cannot wait to immerse herself in the “family culture” at Team Bath Netball after today being confirmed as the final member of the club’s 2023 Superleague squad.
The 23-year-old centre and wing-attack has spent the past two seasons with Southern Steel in the ANZ Premiership, where she established a reputation as a ‘pocket rocket’ with speed and finesse around the attacking circle.
Now she is ready to bring that energy to the Superleague with the Haines Watts-sponsored Blue & Gold as the final piece of a newlook, youthful squad put together by Head Coach Asha Francis for the 2023 campaign.
“I can’t wait to get over to Bath and get stuck in,” said Wilshier, who was the National Netball League Player of the Year in 2019 and was also a training partner with Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic in 2020.
“This opportunity wasn’t something I was expecting but when Team Bath got in touch I was very open to the challenge. I’m really excited to try something new, learn new things and experience a different type of netball in a place where not many people know me. It’s going to be really refreshing.”
Wilshier’s previous experience of playing abroad came in 2020 when she went to the Sunshine Coast in Australia to contest the Sapphire Series. It was there that she met Lily-may Catling, who is returning for her second Superleague season with Team Bath in 2023.
“Lily-may loves it at Team Bath and says it is such a family-oriented club, which is what I’m after,” said Wilshier. “We had that kind of culture at Steel and I loved it. We had a really young team but the culture that we built off-court took us through to the finals in our first year together.”
Wilshier will join up with her new club later this month and Team Bath fans should have their first chance to see her in action during a tri-tournament also featuring Saracens Mavericks and Wasps at the Team Bath Arena on Saturday 3rd December. Tickets are available now at netball.teambath. com/tri-tournament.
“I’m more of a doer than a talker as a player,” she said. “I work really hard and I’ve learnt that you have to be happy off the court to be happy on it.
“I’m really big on the balance between the two but when I have
my netball shoes on I mean business and I get it done.”
Wilshier completes a vibrant Blue & Gold squad with an average age of just 22, with Head Coach Francis saying: “We are really excited to welcome Ali to the squad as she completes our roster for the 2023 season.
“Ali has really impressed me, not only with her on-court capability but with who she is. I cannot wait to see what she will add to this already dynamic squad and how the team will benefit from her being a part of this group.”
Team Bath’s 2023 Superleague fixtures were revealed on Monday, when tickets for the nine matches at the Team Bath Arena also went go on sale.
All but one of the 2023 home fixtures is scheduled for 7.30pm on Fridays.
First up for the Haines Wattssponsored Blue & Gold will be a visit from Scottish club Strathclyde Sirens on Friday 24th February before a Surrey Storm squad featuring several familiar faces head to the Team Bath Sports Training Village on Friday 10th March.
An exciting spell of five home fixtures in four weeks, starting on 24th March, sees Team Bath take on Saracens Mavericks, Leeds Rhinos, Severn Stars on a Saturday afternoon, London Pulse and Celtic Dragons.
Defending champions Manchester Thunder are the penultimate visitors on Friday 12th May before Team Bath conclude their home campaign against Wasps on Friday 26th May.