When Cambridge based TVP Thunder wrapped up the Secondary Senior Premier Grade at the Hamilton Netball Centre for a second year running recently, it spelled the end of an era.
The team – players from Cambridge High and St Peter’s School – came together four years ago. Their latest victory spelled the end of school netball for players who have been coached by Victoria Whitfield.
All are in their final year of high school and are now gearing up to sit final exams before heading off to jobs and university next year.
Team members will look back on the last four years fondly – aside from their netball success, the Thunder has also had players in national age group teams in lacrosse, hockey and coastal rowing teams, Waikato age group rugby teams, and North Island rowing teams.
Supporters credit for Whitfield for investing time in growing her coaching practices aligned to Sport New Zealand’s Balance is Better evidence-based philosophies.
“This player centric approach and culture has supported the team to go from strength to strength, not only in their technical and tactical skills, but in their confidence and belief,” Rebecca David told The News.
“Talking to the girls and their parents we know that a number of them wouldn’t be playing netball, for a broad range of reason, if it wasn’t for this. For some it was because they had been told they had to choose between different sports, some had bad experiences with school sport which made them doubt their abilities, some wanted the chance to play with their friends who were at a different school, and others wanted to balance sport with work and home commitments.”
In the Waikato final in Hamilton, TVP Thunder beat hot favourites the previously unbeaten Hauraki Plains College 31-22.
Usually we hear thunder after lightning – but for Whitfield it’s the other way round.
She is farewelling her Thunder – but has another project in the making to challenge the best secondary schools in Waikato.
Thunder: from left, back row: Victoria Whitfield (coach), Lauren Wood, Molly Macdiarmid, Tegan O’Dwyer, Ruby David, Kendall Muir, Peyton Barnard, Maia Calcinai; front row: Zara Barnard, Addy Abbott, Annelies Banks, Isla Newlands. Photo: Supplied.
