Wairarapa made their presence felt in a big way when Netball Wellington Region held their end-of-season prize giving function in Petone this week.
The success of the Wairarapa under-15 team was recognised by the awarding to them of the Betty Blair Cup for best performance by a team in that age
group. They were captained by Wairarapa College student Abby Hull who spoke on their behalf, coached by Marion Tulloch and managed by Natalie McDougall. Their second placing at the North Island tournament was the highlight of their season.
The administrator of the year award was won by Loraine Somerville. As well as being on the Netball Wairarapa committee and supporting her two daughters in the St Matthew's A team she has established, and put in place, a development plan in Wairarapa netball. To win the award she had to beat off strong challengers from Wellington, Hutt Valley and Kapi Mana.
St Matthew's Collegiate were runners-up for the award by best performance by a secondary school team. This trophy was taken home by St Orans from Lower Hutt who finished second at the lower North Island secondary schools tourney in Palmerston North.
St Matthew's finished fourth at the same event and both colleges went on to play in the national secondary schools finals in Timaru where St Matthew's actually beat St Oran's and finished 11 th to their 12th.
Hope Phillips of Wairarapa College received an awarded for being talented spotted by Netball New Zealand in the under-15 age group as did Rosie Mahoney of St Matthew's in the under-17 grade.
Wairarapa also had nominess in two other cateogries?.Toni Wilson for umpire of the year and Celia Donaldson for volunteer of the year.
Mc for the evening was broadcaster John McBeth and he was quick to recognise such a big contribution to the proceedings from Wairarapa, one of the smaller centres in the Wellinton region.
