Netball tournament brings community together for house-fire victims

The Bubz Mixed Netball Side featured Kacey Potae, third from left, who is one of the family affected by the house fire. Photo/Emma Miller

Community spirit is alive and well in Northland.

After a house fire just outside of Moerewa on June 10 destroyed the home of Ronnie Potae, Lee Nankivell and teenage children Kacey and Wiremu Potae, friends and family came together to come up with ideas on how to help the family to get back on their feet.

One of those was to hold a netball tournament that all the community could join in. Netball is a big part of Ronnie and Kacey's lives and so it seemed only fitting.

With the normal netball competition taking a break for school holidays there was an opportunity to use the courts at the Kerikeri Netball Centre for the tournament.

The school holidays also normally means people are away, but exceptions were made and people came from all over Northland and as far away as Matamata.

Friends and family, many from the Bubz Netball Club in Kerikeri and the Fideliter Netball Club in Whangarei (Kacey plays for both clubs), organised the tournament.

They co-ordinated more than 40 netball teams across various competition grades including a women's grade, mixed grade, collegiate grade and one for Year 7 and 8 children.

More than 90 games were played over the day, and the wet and cold weather did nothing to dampen spirits or the vibe around the courts.

Away from the courts people were no less busy. There were people cooking at the barbecue or hangi or serving hungry players, coaches and umpires from the canteen.

Everyone had gathered for one purpose and that was to support and raise money for a special family that has come into some tough times.

The netball was secondary to the cause, but it was still fiercely fought, the competitive spirit not completely put to the side.

The special tournament was a huge success enjoyed by everyone who took part. It not only raised money for this wonderful family but showed what small communities are capable of and how something good can come about as a result of something so terrible as a house fire.

Anyone who would like to donate to support the family can do so on the Givealittle page givealittle.co.nz/cause/helpthepotaes.