Rotorua hosting New Zealand Secondary School Netball Championships

New Zealand's best young netballers will battle it out during the national secondary schools tournament in Rotorua this week. Photo/Michael Bradley

New Zealand's future netball stars will take to the court in Rotorua this week.

The New Zealand Secondary School Netball Championships are being held at the Energy Events Centre from tomorrowto Friday and comprise the top school teams from throughout the country.

The annual tournament, which was established in 1993 and is one of the most keenly contested events on the Netball New Zealand calendar, will see 16 teams from the Upper North Island, Lower North Island and South Island go head-to-head over four days.

Former Silver Ferns captain Julie Seymour will have her coaching hat on for the week with St Margaret's College from Christchurch, while fellow former Fern Angela Mitchell will guide Ashburton College as they return to the top 16.

The tournament presents a valuable opportunity for national selectors Kiri Wills, Mary-Jane Araroa and Charissa Barham, who will be in town to gauge the talent at secondary school level.

Netting a second straight New Zealand Secondary Schools title will be the goal for St Kentigern College this week.

The defending champion Auckland-based side, who won the title for the first time last year, return with last year's finalists and fellow Aucklanders Mount Albert Grammar School who will be another team to watch.

Three schools will be making their first appearance at the national tournament including Howick College, St Paul's Collegiate School and Queen Margaret College while Mount Albert Grammar School (MAGS) will be gunning for an unprecedented sixth crown.

Saint Kentigernlook set to defend their title with two national secondary schools representatives in Tayla Earle and Tori Kolose as well as Ashleigh Garner who played in this year's Beko Netball League.

They won their maiden schools crown last year with a thrilling one-goal finals victory, ending Mount Albert Grammar's stranglehold on the tournament.

MAGS are again coached by Paula Smith who was also part of the Beko League this year and sees the return of Lahaina-Lee Upu-Toparea who is in the national schools side.

Last year's midcourter and defender of the tournament, Ainsleyana Puleiata and Renee Savai'inaea, will be back for St Mary's College and both players are members of New Zealand's Secondary Schools team.

Other teams to watch include Epsom Girls' Grammar School and Manukura who both boast national players while St Hilda's Collegiate School will be spearheaded by the Heffernan twins, Georgia and Kate, who both played at the Beko League level.