Casey's coming to town

CASEY IS COMING: Kopua in action on the court. File picture

WAIKATO Bay of Plenty Magic captain and Silver Ferns great Casey Kopua will visit Gisborne Netball Centre’s Victoria Domain courts this Saturday.

Kopua will be at the courts from 9.30am to 11.30am, so it will be a great chance for kids to meet the netball legend.

Defender Kopua played 101 tests from November of 2005 up to her international retirement earlier this year at the age of 31.

Highly respected as a player who leads from the front, she captained her country a record 77 times and competed at three world cups (2007, 2011, 2015) and three Commonwealth Games (2006, 2010, 2014).

In 2015, she became the sixth Silver Fern to reach 100 tests.

Her contribution to the sport was recognised when she was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2011 Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

Kopua continues to play for Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic in the ANZ Premiership netball league and at the Magic’s end-of-season awards was named Most Valuable Player and Players’ Player winner.

She was a dominant figure once again on the court, ranking second in the ANZ Premiership for rebounds for the season and in the top 10 for deflections and intercepts.

Kopua has a strong connection to Gisborne through husband Terry, who was born and raised in Gisborne, attending Te Wharau, Ilminster Intermediate and Gisborne Boys’ High before heading to university in Hamilton, where he now lives and works as a family lawyer.

The couple have a 14-month-old daughter, Maia.