Seven years ago, Maree Bowden turned to Silver Fern Julie Seymour to help her get back on her feet.
Bowden, then Maree Grubb, had been a promising young netballer who made the New Zealand under-21 side and went to the World Youth Cup in Cardiff - where she
came down with glandular fever and never played a game.
She was so sick, it was months before she could get out of bed and go for a walk.
When she was finally ready to try netball again, Bowden headed to her local Hagley Park courts in Christchurch and saw a heavily-pregnant Seymour on the sidelines.
"We'd never met before but I knew she was a legendary trainer, so I asked her if she would help me get better," Bowden said.
Since then, Bowden and Seymour have trained together - often five days a week - played together in the Flames and become best mates. Seymour was a bridesmaid when Bowden married former Highlanders lock Pete Bowden.
When Seymour made her way back into the Silver Ferns in April, she told Bowden it was her dream that they would play alongside each other at this year's world championships.
Yesterday, the dream was partially fulfilled with Bowden chosen as the back-up wing attack option in the Ferns side to play Jamaica and Australia, and essentially go on to November's worlds.
Bowden, 28, has taken the year off teaching at Selwyn House School in Christchurch to live only netball.
"I wanted to look back on this year, the year of the world champs, and think 'I couldn't have possibly done any more'," she said.
"When I was younger I wanted to be a Silver Fern but I wasn't ready. If I'd made the team, I would have just been happy to be here. But I'm more mature - like red wine, I get better with age - and I want to play; I want to add my spark and enthusiasm to this team."
