Grace Nweke instructs young netballers.
Elisapeta Toeava lead drills.
Players from the Northern Mystics netball team visited Wellsford School this month for a hands-on training session with budding netballers.
Goal defence Kate Burley, goal shooter Grace Nweke and wing attack Elisapeta Toeava ran drills and critiqued technique.
A group of 12 girls in Years 7 and 8, in particular, got some focused training. Rodney Netball Centre junior committee member Nicola Murray said she hoped the chance to train with role models would help to retain young players.
“The Mystics are icons and show the girls what they can work up to if they stick with the game,” she said.
She said the Rodney centre aspired to host a dedicated college-age competition, but needed to increase numbers before being able to separate it from the senior competition.
The Mystics also performed drills with players in Years 1 to 6 in an effort to teach good habits.
The hour-and-a-half session focused on warm-ups, balance, stability, passing and “the pivot” before concluding with a practice game.
For players in Years 3 and 4, it was a chance to get in some practice before taking on arch-rivals Mangawhai Beach School later this month.
