Emotional time post quake but Naoupu's ready

It's been an emotional week for born and bred Cantabrian Julianna Naoupu but she'll have her game face on for Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic against Central Pulse tonight.
The 20-year-old shooter has watched and read in horror as events in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Christchurch have unfolded. She spent several hours "freaking out" immediately after hearing about the disaster as she waited to hear from family.
"All my family are down there and it took awhile to hear from them. Luckily, they're all good. There are some cracked walls in the house but we're quite blessed the house wasn't fully smashed up," Naoupu said from her new base at Mt Maunganui.
The disaster also struck close to home for assistant coach Marg Foster, who lives in Christchurch. Coach Noeline Taurua said Foster was still waiting to find out about family members among the missing. Her home was also damaged but Foster is joining the team in Wellington tonight.
Magic are scheduled to play Canterbury Tactix in a week and expect to find out today what will happen with that game.
Naoupu said it had been emotional watching coverage of the disaster and she had felt the need to be with her family although they had assured her they were all fine and were keen for her to focus on her netball.
"It's been devastating to see all the damage and you feel helpless, you don't know what to do."
Yesterday, the aspiring Silver Fern was getting into game mode as tonight's game loomed.
Magic had less than a week between matches this round but are coming off a good win against Northern Mystics and the coaches are looking for consistency and another solid performance.
Naoupu has certainly looked solid during her time on court, showing plenty of nerve and stepping up when Magic goal shoot Irene van Dyk found herself under pressure. Naoupu, who was with Southern Steel from 2008 to 2010, is sharing goal attack duties with another of Magic's new recruits, former Pulse player Jamilah Gupwell.
Taurua is happy with how they've slotted in and provided something new when they've taken the court. Both have shown themselves capable of making the long shots and Naoupu, a national under-21 squad member, found the opportunity to play alongside "the best shooter in the world" too good to miss.
"I had always wanted the opportunity to play alongside Irene and wanted more court time, which I hadn't been getting [with Steel]. I wanted to learn more and Noeline having been a specialist goal attack was another lure. I'm already learning plenty," Naoupu said.