On The Up: Hastings High School Old Girls’ Netball Club marks 100 years this weekend

Hastings High School Old Girls' Netball Club president Meredith Guy. Photo / Jack Riddell

A century’s worth of sport and friendship goes on display this weekend to celebrate one of the country’s oldest netball associations.

Netball NZ said Hastings High School Old Girls’ Netball Club is the oldest continuous netball club in New Zealand.

President Meredith Guy said the club started in 1926 when the sport was starting to take off.

Players came from Hastings High School, the school founded in 1904 that was split into Hastings Boys’ High School and Hastings Girls’ High School in the mid-1950s.

Guy said although the club was started in 1926, it wasn’t until it joined the Hawke’s Bay Basketball Association in 1927 that the club’s history was recorded.

The club fronted two teams in 1927 and had grown since.

“Throughout the 100 years it’s just been a continuous array of people willing to commit to netball and keep this club together and that’s why it’s been so successful,” Guy said.

Many influential players had been involved with the club, including former Mainland Tactix goal shoot Ellie Bird, along with many esteemed umpires and coaches, such as Gladys Symes and Vicky Lassen.

But it’s not only notable names who have made the club what it is.

The club’s patroness, Barb Styles, is still umpiring in her 80s.

For the centenary celebrations, the club’s top team, the Huia, will play an All In netball club squad in a marquee 100-year game.

Hastings councillors and Tukituki MP Catherine Wedd will be among the game’s attendees at Woodford House Gymnasium at 6.45pm on Friday.

On Saturday, from 8am to 2pm, 100 years of uniforms, photos, newsletters and more from the club will be on display at the Netball Community Room at Hawke’s Bay Regional Sports Park.

“We have been relatively big hoarders as a club and kept everything,” Guy said.

Guy spent the past few months sorting through the material, where she found photos, programmes and AGM minutes dating back to the 1920s, which revealed issues that had plagued the club for a century.

“There’s certainly some common themes that come up,” she said.

“It’s been pretty interesting to see because you have these same issues now – can you get coaches, can you get players, can you get your funding, can you get sponsors, can you do all this, and it’s the same issues back 100 years ago.”

A formal celebration at Toitoi in Hastings will cap off the weekend from 5.30pm Saturday with canapes, dinner, special guests and dancing. Limited tickets are available from Eventfinda.

Guy said the main thing that’s kept the club going for a century and beyond is the people.

“Everyone says the same thing – ‘Why wouldn’t you want to be part of this club?’

“It’s so friendly, it’s inclusive, it’s just so fun to be part of and you see that with the groups of friends throughout club’s history.”

Jack Riddell is a multimedia journalist with Hawke’s Bay Today and has worked in radio and media in the UK, Germany, and New Zealand.