Mercury Bay Roadie

NetballSmart hit the road over the recent school holidays, heading out to a couple of our far reaching centres – one of those being Mercury Bay. Based in Whitianga, this small centre hosted four days of PDPs, with Sam able to attend and support two of those days.

The sessions had a strong focus on fundamental movement skills and encouraging players to have a go at something new. It was great to see athletes challenged, learning, and building confidence through movement – exactly what NetballSmart aims to support.

It’s always encouraging to see NetballSmart being embedded across our centres around the motu. Whether that’s through quality warm ups, coaches making use of the NetballSmart resources online, or players transferring strong fundamental skills from training into match play. 

Alongside working with players, Sam also spent an evening with a group of enthusiastic coaches from all stages of the game. The session focused on reinforcing the responsibility we all share as coaches to support player wellbeing, keep athletes on the court, and reduce injury risk wherever possible.

Ngā mihi nui, Mercury Bay – thanks for having us and for the great work you continue to do. 
 

Article by Samantha Winders, WBOP Zone NetballSmart Development Officer
Article added: Wednesday 22 April 2026