This season we had 200 players sign up which increased our number of teams to 20 from the previous 17. We also offered a mixed league and we had one team play on Wednesday night which has been a great success.

Our Netball Service Committee is in its second year and it has enabled student voice as well as help action programmes over the season. They created a TGS Netball Smart Warm Up and worked closely with Netball Smart to develop this. They also introduced a new trophy which is Student Coach of the Year and again this is decided on student voice and goes to someone that created positive team culture.

TGS had 6 teams receive top placings in their grades from North Harbour. There also was a number of umpires who progressed in the umpiring journey, receiving Junior Badges and Zone Theory.

Below are our Award winners:

Special Awards

These trophies are awarded to players for excelling throughout the season. There are 5 special awards we give out. These awards have been chosen based on nominations by Players, Coaches, Managers and the Teacher In Charge.

The Jubilee Trophy for Contribution to Netball

This award goes to a student who has contributed to TGS Netball for the full 5 years - playing, umpiring, coaching and being a member of the Netball Service Committee for the 2 years it has been functioning. She has gone above and beyond her roles mentioned above. We often meet weekly (sometimes daily!) and chat about ways we could improve TGS Netball. She also started organising the umpiring roster and often is the first to put her hand up when help is needed. She has won the Umpire of the Year trophy twice during her time at TGS and is still progressing on the umpiring pathway. Whichever role she is doing she sponges up your advice and is always looking to grow and learn. Players comment on her approachable nature. They say she is always there to ask any questions, whether it’s about umpiring, borrowing bibs for games or just general netball questions. She is seen as a person who puts herself forward to make TGS Netball better.

TGS Trophy for Umpire of the Year

This award goes to a student who has contributed well to the Netball community and demonstrates a lot of our school values. She is consistent and fair with her umpiring calls. She is always on time for her games demonstrating her reliability and professional nature. All players comment on her efforts towards umpiring and her ability to be stern but stay composed. She had to put up with some pretty tough games, one being at the start of the season with comments from the sideline and the court, but she was not phased by the pushback. Coaches, Managers and Players have observed her grow as an umpire this year, umpiring higher level teams and umpiring multiple games in a day. The TGS Netball community is excited to see her continue to bring her calm, controlled and consistent whistle to the courts. 

TGS Student Coach of the Year

This award goes to a student coach who has made a positive impact on every player in their team. Players describe her as an amazing coach, who is really kind and supportive. They have also said she has an enthusiastic personality which contributes to their determination to perform well as a team. She always turns up to the courts with a smile and is the team's biggest cheerleader. Her mentor has observed the wonderful relationships she has built with every player and said it could be seen during training as well as games. This student has been incredibly committed to the team (in spite of her own injury) and has delivered training sessions that are enjoyable, well planned and clear on the skill she is trying to work on. This team also placed second in their grade which is a further testament to the team and its coaches. It is obvious that she has led the team with a positive attitude and created a team culture where everyone is happy, feels safe to share feedback and has fun.

UNISS Player of the Tournament

Team 1 had a lot of players who really stepped up while we were down at UNISS which was awesome to see but it does make choosing this a bit harder! However, this player really came into her own and took ownership of her position and made it hard for us to take her off the court. She was patient and composed even when under pressure and consistently delivered a strong performance at every game. She was steady when feeding the shooters and working the ball around where needed rather than forcing it. She was a crucial team player who worked with both the attackers and defenders around her. She helped lead both ends of the court and kept that connection between them.

Jubilee Trophy Most Promising Year 9 Junior Netball Player

This award goes to a player who can play anywhere on the court whether it is attack, defence or mid court. She is a quick thinker and can often see opportunities on court that other players do not see. This season she demonstrated some amazing skills on court whilst under pressure specifically, shooting and eyeing up intercepts. This player always gave 110% in the game and was someone you could rely on to bring calm to an area of the court.

Jubilee Trophy for the Most Promising Year 11 Senior Player

This award goes to a player who has demonstrated growth in skill, attitude and confidence on and off the court. She came into the team playing in a critical position and remained composed under pressure. She has been keen to learn and quick to absorb new skills, set ups and strategies. She has shown improvement in her communication and by the end of the season was comfortable directing players around her on the court. At the UNISS tournament she was an asset in the shooting circle, hardly missing a shot and consistently working hard to deliver a full 40 minute performance. This year she also played in the U16B North Harbour Reps team and has previously played in the U14B team. This award is well deserved and a great recognition of her skills.

We would like to recognise our 2023 Netball Leavers. These students have played Netball for the full 5 years they have been at Takapuna Grammar School. We wish you luck in all your endeavours and hope you continue to play Netball once leaving school. No matter where you are in the world, it’s a great way of meeting new people, staying physically fit and mentally healthy. This year we are acknowleding 16 players:

Jess Lee, Lila Slade, Hannah Selby, Sophie Spooner, Sophie Langley, Dasha Galiyeva, Jasmine Perry, Jamie Sloan, Tara Cutts, Alice Beale, Bella Lovison, Olivia Wilson, Ruby Wilson, Lucy Mason, Lucy Travers, Pania Rowe-Karanui

Thank you to my amazing Netball Service Committee for facilitating the prizegiving on Tuesday night. Thank you to the Players, Coaches, Managers, Umpires and Parents for this season. See you next year!

Article added: Thursday 21 September 2023