Netball: Vocal endurance the first test for new Silver Fern

By JULIE ASH

It's a wonder new Silver Fern Jodi Te Huna has any voice left.

After "screaming the house down" on receiving the news of her inclusion for the world championships from coach Ruth Aitken on Monday night, the 21-year-old spent the following day giving endless media interviews.

"I don't think it will actually hit me that I am really in the team until we go into camp," she said.

"As nervous as I was, Tuesday was a great day but now I really just have to concentrate on the Flames."

Born in Wanganui, Te Huna started her netball career a little later than most because basketball initially took her fancy.

"I started playing netball when I was 13," Te Huna said.

"I eventually had to decide between playing netball and basketball, so because I was having a lot of fun playing netball - and I knew you really had to go overseas to make it in basketball - I chose netball."

A move to Wellington in her mid-teens proved instrumental.

She made the Capital Shakers when she was 16 and, in the five years she played in the team, she was at various times under the coaching guidance of former Silver Ferns coach Lois Muir, Noeline Taurua, Tanya Dearns and Waimarama Taumaunu.

"I have been really lucky," Te Huna said. "I have learned so much from all those people."

After a lengthy stint with the Shakers, Te Huna decided to try her luck elsewhere and late last year took up an offer to play for the Canterbury Flames.

"I thought a change of environment would be good and it has been.

"My ethics really changed this year. I increased my fitness which meant I could enjoy the game instead of worrying about whether I was going to make it through or not."

Te Huna's shooting percentages have also improved, from 69 per cent accuracy last year to 86 per cent so far for the Flames this year.

"She's been playing very well in the National Bank Cup," Aitken said.

"She has a maturity beyond her years and now that she's got the physical conditioning to support that, she's just really strong.

"She has a calmness and composure and the rougher it gets the more she likes it. That's really important for a shooter; there's some pretty physical defence out there."

The next three months for Te Huna will consist entirely of netball, starting with a three-test series against England in June followed by the world championships in Jamaica in July.

"There are three experienced shooters in the side and I am the young and upcoming shooter, so I am just thrilled to have the opportunity to learn off them and if I get a chance to get out on court against England that will be even better," she said.

"It is exciting to be a new Silver Fern in world championship year.

"I had a little taste of it in the world youth champs but there will be nothing like being at the real world championships."

Fact file:

Name: Jodi Te Huna

Age: 21

Place of birth: Wanganui

Occupation: Teachers College student

Height: 1.85m

Positions: GS, GA

Player history:

World Youth Championships

1998-2002 Capital Shakers

2003 Canterbury Flames