Netball: A Force to reckon with

By JULIE ASH

Although they have to crane their necks to see them, the children taking part in the Millennium Institute's school holiday programme can't get enough of Force netballers Matelita Shaw and Matila Waqanidrola.

Standing more than 1.80m tall, the Force's newest recruits are supervising holiday programmes at the institute.

"They are usually a bit shy of us to begin with," said Waqanidrola. "But then when we tell them we play for the Force they want to sit by us and walk with us."

Both women were part of the Fijian side which finished eighth in last year's world championships.

But playing in New Zealand, they admit, has been a whole new experience.

"The facilities here are amazing," Waqanidrola said. "In Fiji we often have to train on grass courts and play on carparks."

The netballers, neither of whom has any aspirations to play for New Zealand, are from Suva.

Shaw's brother Tira is a former Fijian under-21 rugby representative and Waqanidrola's brother Wasa is also pretty handy with a rugby ball. He has played for the national under-21 side and the national sevens team.

But for the pair, netball wasn't really an interest until high school.

"I didn't really like netball but I was forced to play it at secondary school by a teacher," Waqanidrola said.

"Our school was the best secondary school ... she thought I would be a really good defender so she made me play."

Shaw started playing at primary school but the 24-year-old said she did not take the game seriously until 1999.

"I was playing representative volleyball until I got picked in the Fijian netball team to go to the World Championships in Christchurch in 1999," she said.

It was through Force coach Yvonne Willering's association with Fiji netball - she has helped to coach there - that the pair now find themselves in the North Shore-based side.

"The style of game is quite similar to what we are used to," Shaw said. "But it is a different team altogether and fitness training is really hard over here."

Although they work together, flat together and often end up battling it out together in training sessions, since Shaw is a shooter and Waqanidrola a defender, they admit they never get sick of one another.

"When one of us goes away, the other one kind of misses her," Waqanidrola said. "But when we are training against each other we are pretty competitive."

Although Waqanidrola has played for Netball North in the National Provincial Championships for the past two seasons, she has a few butterflies before the Force's opening match against the Shakers tomorrow.

"I am really excited but I am also very nervous. But I am ready for it."

FORCE FIELD

* Matila Waqanidrola

Born: Fiji, March 31, 1981.

Height: 1.83m

Positions: GD, GK

Career highlights

2001-03: Fiji netball representative

2002-03: Netball North.

* Matelita Shaw

Born: Fiji, October 16, 1979

Height: 1.86m

Positions: GA, GS

Career highlights

1999-03 Fiji netball representative

1995-99: Fiji volleyball representative.