Schoolgirl makes Canty netball team

NICK TOLERTON | 29th July 2009

A 16-year-old schoolgirl, Sophia Fenwick, has made the Canterbury netball team.

Fenwick plays for Rangi Ruru Girls’ School in the premier grade.

"I don’t think there’s been a 16-year-old in the Canterbury squad since Bernice Mene, and I’ve been around netball a long time!" says her coach Brenda Rowberry.

"She’s amazingly athletic. She’s a tall girl and very, very versatile – she can play any position on the court."

Selection for the provincial seniors caps a speedy rise that saw her play for the Canterbury Bs last year and Canterbury under-21 earlier this year.

Veteran netball observers were particularly impressed with her contribution to the New Zealand secondary schools team’s two test wins against Australia in Auckland this year.

Recovering from a volleyball ankle ligament injury, Fenwick was not originally named in the team, but was called up when another girl had chickenpox.

In the second test she came on at half-time as goal shoot when New Zealand was trailing – and shot 13 out of 14 to secure the win.

Her play anywhere ability means opposing teams are not sure at which end of the court she’ll be put on.

"I prefer shooting, but I quite like going back in D," she said.

She was also in the South Island secondary schools volleyball team last year, enjoys social basketball, and has won javelin and triple jump bronze medals at the national secondary schools athletics championships.

Fenwick has been in Rangi’s A netball team since she was a third former, and playing premier club netball this year has sharpened her game.

"At first I got bashed around a little bit, but now I use my height and strength," she said.

She said she was "pretty happy" to make the Canterbury team, and further down the track she hopes to play for the Tactix and at the under-21 World Cup in four years.