Amelia Walmsley of the Pulse. Photo / Getty
As part of a Herald series looking at future stars in major New Zealand sports, Nathan Limm looks at five names to watch in netball.
Eighteen-year-old Amelia Walmsley is the youngest player in the ANZ Premiership — and she already has a title under her belt.
The Howick College product not only clinched the National Netball League crown with the Central Manawa last year, but also was part of the Premiership-winning Central Pulse side as fully contracted player straight out of school.
Walmsley said she never puts unnecessary pressure on herself but admits it is strange to be the youngest player in the competition.
“I don’t feel like the baby of the team because it’s quite an inclusive environment.
“When I first came in I was quite starstruck having all of these amazing players in front of me. I see them as my friends now but at first I was scared of them.”
Walmsley played for the Howick College premier team for three years, but it was in year 13 when her prospects really started to accelerate. The youngster made the Northern Comets squad and grew under the coaching of legendary Silver Ferns midcourter Temepara Bailey.
She then made her ANZ Premiership debut later that year for the Mainland Tactix.
Walmsley received a call from coach Marianne Delaney-Hoshek, who had been watching her develop through high school.
Delaney-Hoshek requested she hop on a plane the next morning, so she could fill in for the Tactix at the shooting end the following day. Walmsley played 45 minutes in her maiden professional outing, capping off a whirlwind 48 hours.
“It didn’t really feel real until afterwards. I was getting messages from my friends and family and even random people. It was quite overwhelming. At the time I had to be quite composed so when I went on court I tried not to overthink it.”
Walmsley’s goal is to make the under-21 New Zealand squad, which has recently featured her Central Pulse teammate, Parris Mason.
Read more: Five future football stars to watch
Parris Petera is looking to solidify her place in the Mainland Tactix after graduating from training partner status.
The Hawke’s Bay local’s passion for netball runs in her blood, with her aunt formerly representing the Auckland Diamonds, who merged with the Northern Force to create the Mystics in 2008.
Today she’s a fast-paced wing attack with the ability to switch into centre, but Petera’s first involvement with the sport was as a mascot for her mum’s and aunt’s teams.
She tried a variety of sports through school — such as volleyball, basketball and touch rugby — before beginning to take netball seriously in year 12. That focus paid off — the Napier Girls’ High School student made the New Zealand Secondary Schools Māori team.
Petera went on to attend the University of Canterbury on a sports scholarship.
The 20-year-old made her National Netball League debut for the Central Manawa in 2020 before switching allegiances to the Mainland Hellers.
Petera said agility is her biggest strength.
“On the court I’m quite fast and nippy, like one of those little wing attacks. I’m always on the go. I also think I’m quite mature for my age and I learn quickly.”
Petera has loved the opportunity to work under some of her idols growing up, and describes the experience as “crazy”.
“I’m like ‘oh my God, that’s Jane Watson — and she’s telling her baby I’m her aunt!’ It’s so cool learning off the likes of Jane and Karin [Burger] — they all have so much knowledge and I’m just glad to be part of it.”
Petera wants to make the Silver Ferns within the next four years and said improving fitness levels will be her priority.
Carys Stythe is looking to find her voice for the Northern Mystics in the ANZ Premiership this year.
The 19-year-old made her professional debut last season as part of a meteoric rise.
Stythe was a linchpin of the Auckland side which won the New Zealand U18 champs, made her National Netball League debut for the Northern Marvels and was named National Secondary Schools Player of the Year in 2021, all whilst completing year 13 at St Kentigern College.
The defender now stands in the shoes of the likes of Anna Harrison and is surrounded by Silver Ferns Sulu Fitzpatrick, Phoenix Karaka and Michaela Sokolich-Beatson at the defensive end.
Stythe said her biggest strength is her ability to soak in information, but voicing her own thoughts remains a work-on.
“I’m playing with my idols who I’ve looked up to my whole life so it’s hard to communicate and tell them where to go.”
Stythe said the fitness and strength levels required in the ANZ Premiership were a big shock to the system.
“How fast the training and games are compared to the NNL. Every training is like you’re playing a game — that’s the intensity you’ve got to bring.”
Load management will be important for Stythe as she becomes more enveloped in professional netball.
The 19-year-old has patellar tendonitis — also known as ‘Jumper’s Knee’ — but is confident she will be able to work through it.
Stythe’s breakout year as the Mystics’ training partner came at the expense of tertiary education.
She was forced to drop out of her occupational therapy course due to her training commitments and is on the lookout for a part-time course she can complete on the side.
Ivari Christie is taking inspiration from tragedy as she looks to make a name for herself at the Southern Steel.
The 19-year-old has become a fully-fledged member of the Invercargill-based ANZ Premiership outfit after debuting as a training partner last year.
But her journey has not come without struggle.
At just 16 years old, Christie lost her mum, Sheryl, to cancer.
Christie’s mother coached her throughout her childhood, encouraging her to trial for the Hamilton Girls’ High School premier netball team when she was in year nine. Christie’s trial was a success, and she went on to be selected for the New Zealand Secondary Schools team in 2020 and 2021.
She has since relocated to Dunedin and has relished the change of scenery after eight years in Hamilton.
“I was a little bit unsure at the start, but when I debuted it was on my mum’s anniversary so from then on I felt I was meant to be here.”
With Silver Ferns regular and Southern Steel legend Shannon Saunders unavailable due to pregnancy, Christie has effectively assumed her spot on the roster.
“It’s definitely a weird feeling and I try not to think about it too much because I know it’ll put so much more pressure on me. I’m just happy to have the opportunity and ready to get out there.”
Christie said she is picking up plenty of tips and tricks from all her more experienced teammates, such as fine-tuning her intercepts under the eye of Silver Fern Kate Heffernan.
Now Christie feels she has found her place in the squad, she said the main challenge is keeping pace with the training intensity of the veterans.
“Mentally, I’m 100 percent more comfortable. Now I’ve got to know the girls on and off the court, it’s a lot more fun. Physically I’m really enjoying the competition the other girls bring.”
Born and raised in Australia, Reeghan de Bono has Kiwi blood flowing through her veins and harbours an intense desire to wear the silver fern.
The 20-year-old midcourter — raised in Canberra — has signed as a training partner with the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic for 2023.
De Bono’s mother — a New Zealander — helped foster her passion for netball, leading her to desire a place in the Silver Ferns rather than the Diamonds.
“The Silver Ferns are where the heart is. Growing up, a lot of my idols have been Kiwis. Laura Langman is my number one — she’s an absolute workhorse. Not only on the court — her work ethic off the court is second to none.”
De Bono attended Tauranga Girls’ College for a year and half before completing her last year at St Peter’s in Cambridge. At the end of year 13, she was selected for the Waikato-BOP National Netball League side, where she has played for the last two years.
De Bono caught the eye of Magic coach Mary-Jane Araroa in September’s Open Champs and was then asked to join the ANZ Premiership franchise.
She said at first she was starstruck. “I still have to tell myself I deserve to be here. It’s so awesome learning off all these people with so much talent. It’s awesome to be around like-minded people who are all working towards the same goal.”
De Bono wants to be as versatile as possible and is working on broadening her skill base across all three midcourt roles.
“Growing up, I played a lot of positions, not only in the midcourt, so that’s helped me have a better understanding of what’s expected from each position.”
De Bono is hoping to secure a fulltime ANZ Premiership contract in the next one to three years.
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