Netball: Tough way to get lessons on-court

By JULIE ASH

Challenging but enlightening is how Barbados netball player Ronda Harris describes her first appearance against the Silver Ferns.

The 26-year-old midcourter made her debut against New Zealand in the third test in Auckland, and is hoping for some further court time when Barbados play the New Zealand A team in three matches, the first of which was in Palmerston North last night.

"Every year I try to set myself new goals," she said.

"This year, my goal was to make the national team and now I just want to keep on improving. I want to play like Julie Seymour or Jenny May Coffin."

Although Barbados were beaten by more than 60 goals in each test against the Silver Ferns, Harris said their first series in New Zealand was a valuable learning experience less than a month before the Commonwealth Games, where they are pooled with Australia, South Africa, Fiji and Jamaica.

"New Zealand are an excellent team, and have a great chance at the Commonwealth Games," she said.

"Their game is a lot quicker than ours, their transitions work better and they have a lot of height.

"I have learned a lot and have a lot to process. But I am glad to have come here and been able to experience it."

Coming from a country of just over 270,000 people, Harris said netball was the leading women's sport.

"It plays a very important role in the development of a lady," she said.

As with the New Zealand team, competition for a spot in the Barbados team is tight, albeit at a slightly different standard.

"It is just the beginning to get in. You have to work hard and train hard and try to move up another level.

"I have come here and said to myself 'I have made it but I still have a lot of work to do'."

Barbados is an island nation bordered by the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean.

Harris grew up on a small farm in the area of Saint Philips.

"It is not as big as farms here in New Zealand. We have one cow, six sheep, a couple of pigs and some chickens.

"We raise them to give kids kind of a responsibility so that when they grow up they know how to take responsibility."

Her parents, Silvia and Martin, work in the town of St Michael. Her mother works in a pharmacy and her father does electrical work.

"I have just finished my bachelor of science and sociology degree. I am looking forward to doing my masters in education in September, and I'm hoping to do well.

"I have always liked teaching. I'll probably start at primary level and then move on to secondary level and maybe tertiary."

Although she has three brothers and two sisters, Harris says she is the only one in her family who has taken to sport.

"I have always liked competition. No matter what sort of competition it is. I am always ready for a good challenge."

Which is exactly what awaits Barbados as they try to pick up some success before heading home.