Bray chases double honours in netball and touch

Press, 15 February 1989, Page 38

Bray chases double honours in netball and touch

Margaret Bray unwittingly fulfilled half of a wager made in jest with a double international in water polo and rugby league, that she could become a double international herself, when she was named in the New Zealand mixed touch rugby team re- ■ cently. Bray, a vivacious personality with considerable promise in her main sport, netball, was a late addition to the Canterbury mixed team, but impressed on the wing and made the national team.

“I am quite a fast runner, I think I just got in on speed,” said Bray. “But it was my first big tournament and while the speed’s okay, I want more.”

Bray was pleasantly surprised to make the team and she has a shot at winning the wager on February 24 and 25 when she takes part in her first New Zealand netball trial at the Hagley courts.

Bray was unwilling to disclose the name behind

the challenge saying it would keep her netball counterparts guessing. “I always thought that I could do it in netball, but I wasn’t sure what my second sport could be. Then touch just popped up.” Bray, a centre court player with ability at wing defence, centre and wing attack would be a versatile addition to the national team.

“I am playing centre at the moment. I enjoy playing half defence and half attack, I can’t decide which I like best. Everything’s a challenge, but I love my wee centre. I am just starting to understand it as I would like to play it,” she said. Bray, aged 19, a student at Christchurch Teachers College, has been a member of the Young International team for two years and was miffed to miss out on the World Cup team last’ year. “I was really hacked off when I didn’t make

By

DIANNA LESLIE

the team and I almost gave up. Then I decided to show them that I should have been there and I became really determined to prove my worth.” The national trial is a reward for Bray’s efforts.

“Maybe I have a chance to make the New Zealand team in midcourt. My aim at the trials is to play well for myself and to give 100

per cent. There are heaps of present players that will be hard to replace, but I am dying to get in and mix with those people,” she said. Bray is not new to national exposure as she was a New Zealand junior rollerskating speed champion, and won medals at national athletic meets. She also used to do Tae Kwon Do, but these pursuits did not satisfy her.

“I loved Tae Kwon Do for the discipline and flexibility, but I haven’t really reached the top in any of those sports. Mum and Dad asked me what sport I thought I could make a New Zealand senior team and I decided to give netball a go.

“I am not that serious on touch — I love it — but I am not that serious. Now I have made that team, I will have to practice instead of just turning up to a game I guess,” she said. “I have been practising

with the Linwood senior league team lately which is good because the guys make you try harder.” Bray, who has received sponsorship from Manchester Fiat, plays for Hearts in inter-club and in the Swiss Maid league, and has had the fortune to train under Leigh Gibbs, the former New Zealand captain, and Lyn Parker in the Young Internationals. Mrs Parker is now the National coach.

“Lyn knows so much and if we are, like, doing something new, she always adds . something. She is like Leigh, she’s cool,” Bray said. Bray, a self-confessed hard trainer, is close friends with April leremia, another trialist for the New Zealand team. leremia will be attempting to retain her place, in the national team.

“We are best friends on and off court. We always used to hang out together from the time we first played for Woolston.”