Miss McMaster fights back after severe leg injury

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31981, 7 May 1969, Page 15

Miss McMaster fights back after severe leg injury

: fOLLEEN McMASTER, I who.was forced to withdraw from all representa- < -tive basketball last season I because of a severe achilles I tendon injury, is making a > strong bid to retain her > place In the New Zealand ! aide—a place she has I occupied since 1960. ; Because of her tremend- ;, ous record as a Canterbury, } South Island)and New Zea- ; land representative, she has J been chosen for the New j Zealand trials in Wellington ; on Queen’s Birthday week- ; end. Whether or not she is < chosen for New Zealand j against Australia will de- » pend on her ability to show » that she is as capable a goal - shoot, as she was before • the injury. > She has played four club > games this season and 1 seems to have completely t recovered from her injury, j But she has played at goal ; attack for her team, Hagley ; A, whereas her best position ; is at goal shoot where she ; has always played in repre- • sentative teams. > Some of her strongest ; competition for the New

Zealand team will come from Miss S. Norman, Another Canterbury player who is showing excellent form, in that position in club game*. JKlss McMaster played her first representative basketball as a primary school

girl. At Christchurch West High School she played for the school A team in the third form and played for West Old Giris third grade side on a Saturday afternoon. She was \ playing senior basketball in her fifth

form year and in the same year, played for Canterbury and the South Island. In 1960 she played for New Zealand in Australia while still at school. In 1961 and 1962 she was again selected for the Canterbury and South Island teams when she was at Christchurch Teachers* College. Then in 1963 she played at goal shoot for New Zealand at the first world tournament in England. New Zealand was runner-up to Australia in that tournament by one goal. She captained the South Island in 1965 before she went to England to teach for two years. In 1967, she was vice-captain of the Commonwealth team which played England before England went to the world tournament at Perth.

Miss McMaster excels at the goal shoot position and is one of the fastest dodgers in the goal circle. Her ability to hold her place near the post until the last minute secures her good positions for aiming and she is a quick, accurate shooter. Her ability to move quickly makes her a difficult opponent to match. An important factor in the coming trials will be her ability to contend with the new defence tactics which have been employed since her injury. So far this season her shooting, timing, rebound work, court play and general fitness indicate that she has fully recovered her form and should have every chance of retaining her place in the New Zealand team.