N.Z. netball coach tipped Canterbury to surprise

Press, 6 September 1989, Page 32

N.Z. netball coach tipped Canterbury to surprise

By

DIANNA LESLIE

Lyn Parker, the New Zealand coach, showed acumen when she warned fellow national officials not to under-estimate Canterbury at the New Zealand netball tournament in Hamilton last week. There were many doubtful glances cast at the red-and-black team early in the week as it lost its first match to North Harbour, 24-31, lacking continuity on attack.

Mrs Parker passed the comment midweek, and predicted that Canterbury would have its combination working by the end of the tournament. She said there was no way Canterbury was “inferior” to any of the top four teams in the first grade. True to her word, Canterbury started to show its potential on Thursday, when it beat Wellington, 26-24. Wellington was tipped to be one of the finalists and it threw punters off course. The win proved vital as Canterbury only pipped North Harbour at the post to qualify for the semi-finals in a goal-ratio countback.

The timely arrival of Gilbert Enoka, a sports psychologist, also signalled the change in Canterbury fortunes. It was the only team to have a coach and a psychologist. Enoka, a former New Zealand volleyball player, found adapting to outdoor sports in atrocious weather conditions difficult, but he was the loudest member on the Canterbury bench. He spent the week in jandals in deference to the rain. The team’s coach,Leigh Gibbs was grateful for his input “I feel that we really complemented each other well. He was invaluable at the team talks and the girls respected him. Although some of the teams had motivational tapes, the general feeling was that it was a joke. Although it is common sense, at this level, the mental approach is really important and I felt really comfortable with his presence.”

Canterbury finished third with an upset win

over the third seed, Waikato, 52-41, and even the Hamilton spectators supported the Canterbury win.

Mrs Gibbs has found the team easy and rewarding to coach and is eager to continue her provincial coaching role next season.

“Last year we had some personalities that worked against the best interests of the team but there was nothing like that this year. I could’t speak more highly of the girls, they were really neat,” she said.

Canterbury was well balanced with its New Zealand players, April leremia (goal attack and goal shoot), Annette Heffernan (goal defence and wing defence) and Sharon Burridge (goal keep), but Mrs Gibbs was quick to credit the rest of the side.

“At this level any player like April will be marked more closely. So the team is only as good as the other players.

There is a lot of pressure on the top players so a lot falls on the others and it can make or break a team. Our players like Lee McKenzie (goal attack) rose to the occasion and played very well,” she said.

leremia, Heffernan and Burridge all gained a New Zealand trial for next year and were named in the New Zealand team to play in the demonstration match at the Auckland Commonwealth Games. Margaret Bray and Anna Pilbrow who got a New Zealand trial last year were not named but were selected for the Young International squad. “I felt for Margaret,” said Mrs Gibbs. “She had a particularly good game against Waikato and that alone was equal to some of the others who got a New Zealand trial. Unfortunately Anna had not had the form this year to make it. But there is a long time until the trials and there may be injuries

which will give them a chance.”

Other names to appear in the Young International team included Karen Burrows and Liz Kazmierzcak which bodes well for Canterbury next season. Sharon Burridge will be heading south to Dunedin to complete her physiotherapy diploma while Pilbrow is wavering about shifting to Waikato. Bernice Mene, Belinda Blair and Karyn Pierce, who were named for the New Zealand under-21 coaching school in Easter, will be closely watched by Mrs Gibbs. “We will miss some of the players who are shifting and while I don’t think that Bernice, Belinda and Karyn are ready for senior play in Canterbury yet, it is a tremendous future to look forward to.”

Canterbury’s performance in the championship also kept it on the netball map as the top three finishers in the tournament will be put forward to play in the trans-Tas-man series with three top Australian sides next year.