College Sport: Twin talents will help Mt Albert shooter to go far

Maia Wilson has proven a dominant force as goal shoot in schools netball. Picture / Chris Gorman

Maia Wilson wants to contribute both in netball and basketball

This was moving year in the burgeoning dual sporting career of Maia Wilson.

The 17-year-old Mt Albert Grammar School Year 12 student is the most promising netball goal shoot in the country, and her basketball credentials have already been recognised with promotion to the Tall Ferns - one of the youngest ever.

In a hectic year for her studies and sport, Wilson has a done a remarkably good job at juggling her many commitments.

"I make the call and say what the priority is," says the gregarious and self-confident Wilson.

Of late, netball has taken up most of her time, what with helping MAGS to yet another national title, the NZ Schools side to victory in Australia, and then playing a role as New Zealand A took on England last month. She says she didn't feel out of place playing with the pros.

But in August, basketball ruled, as she was in China for a tournament with the Tall Ferns. That was an eye-opening experience, both on and off the court, for the 1.92m (6'3") Wilson.

"It was such a privilege to put on that black singlet with your name on the back and singing the anthem, representing so many people, at just 16 years of age. I was overwhelmed just to become a trialist."

Wilson's constant training, travel and study would take its toll on other less resilient, less organised athletes.

"I love being organised, but I've found a lot of this year has been hard because I've come into it blind. If you'd told me in January that I would be a Tall Fern and at Silver Ferns training, I'd have laughed."

The goal shoot position has been in the spotlight since the retirement of Irene van Dyk and the recent travails of the Silver Ferns. Wilson is a high percentage holding shooter who gets in good position to receive the ball.

"I like being a high volume and high percentage shooter. It's about my availability to the ball and what I'm doing off the ball. Those are the steps to getting the ball into the hoop."

As are her well-honed combinations with MAGS goal attack Chiara Semple, midcourt players Alanis Toia and Frances Bloomfield and the ability to latch on to long "bombs" from defenders Holly Fowler and Caitlin Dowden. As Wilson says, there is not one weak player in that MAGS lineup. She was "gutted" when she heard they lost the Auckland schools final to St Kentigern while she was in China.

Wilson gets the very best netball coaching. She has had sessions with Silver Ferns shooting coach, Australian Vicki Wilson, and it is not unusual for her MAGS coach Te Aroha Keenan to buttonhole her between classes to talk netball tactics and techniques. It is fitting that Wilson, just last week, won the Te Aroha Keenan award for outstanding achievement in MAGS girls' sport, even though that was for her basketball exploits.

"I have definitely been fast-tracked within the netball system. It's an amazing opportunity for me. But I don't want to be under that spotlight too early and then never getting a look-in again," she says.

If this writer would make a fearless prediction, he would say she could play ANZ Championship by 2016 (imagine Wilson combining with MAGS old girl Maria Tutaia at the Mystics, though Cathrine Latu would have something to say about that). After all, she has another year at school and there is a stack of netball and basketball still to play. She plays Thursday night netball for the MAGS club team, which includes the likes of Jamie-Lee Price, Kayla Cullen and Tutaia. In basketball, she turns out for the Waitakere West Lady Rangers.

Wilson has a long-term aim to be a dual international and follow in the footsteps of players like Belinda Colling and Donna Wilkins (nee Loffhagen), who brought their brand of smart, resourceful shooting circle netball into the Tall Ferns' mix.

"I love both sports. I love my netball at MAGS and that winning culture. I don't think I'd be the netballer I am were it not for MAGS. But I love my basketball too," says Wilson.

She has a University of Idaho State basketball scholarship offer to mull over too.

"In either sport it's great if you've got height. You can teach skill, you can't teach height. I'm not the skinniest girl. I have a solid build which helps me in both sports. I love doing the screens and all the physical contact in basketball, while in netball sometimes I wind my defender. It's about using my body and height to get the best out of my performance."

So far she seems to be doing that just fine.

Maia Wilson, along with MAGS teammate Holly Fowler, and Lynfield's Grace Kukutai, are the netball nominees for tomorrow night's annual ASB Young Sportsperson of the Year awards at Eden Park. Wilson was not eligible for the basketball category as she does not play that sport for her school.