Mid Canterbury Netball president Ange Mitchell has been officially inducted as a legend of Mid Canterbury sport.

Mitchell, an ex-Silver Fern, was one of two new legends inducted during the Mid Canterbury Sports Awards on Friday (13 May), along with former Olympic cyclist Lauren Ellis, whose partner Tim Burtenshaw happens to also be a Mid Canterbury Netball board member.

Born and raised in Ashburton and playing for Ashburton College in her secondary school days, Mitchell returned to Ashburton a few years ago and is now a teacher at Ashburton College.

During her playing days, Mitchell played in the National Bank Cup for the Canterbury Flames from 1998 to 2002, and for the Otago Rebels from 2003 to 2005, and in 2007. She retired in 2008 when the National Bank Cup was replaced by the ANZ Championship, but came out of retirement to return to the Canterbury Tactix as a shooter for the 2009 season.

She also played five tests for New Zealand’s national team, the Silver Ferns, between 2001 and 2004, making her on court debut against Jamaica in 2002.

Mitchell and Ellis were the fifth and sixth Mid Canterbury sportspeople to be inducted in to the local sports hall of game, joining hockey players Stacey Carr and Paul Ackerley, shooter Ann Shurrock, and cyclist Hayden Roulston.

The 2022 Mid Canterbury Sports Awards was the 50^th installment of the awards, and it was a big night for netball, with stalwart Audrey Leath also being named the winner of the Robilliard Trophy, a prestigious trophy given out annually to recognise long service.

Meanwhile, current Tactix player Kelera Nawai - who lives in Methven - was nominated in the senior sports person category won by bowler Sandra Keith, and MCN's own development officer Natalie Corbett was nominated in the coach category for the work she does coaching her weekly No Limits crew. That category was won by rowing's Justin Wall.

Tania Rule was also nominated in the outstanding officials category for her achievements as a bench official, and won that award, while Marg Verrall was recognised in the volunteer category for her many years of service to netball, particularly with the Allenton Netball Club.

A massive congratulations to all!

Article added: Tuesday 17 May 2022