Fast track to success

Wanganui 16-year-old Sammy Murphy is a step closer to reaching her goal of a career in netball. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Tall and talented Wanganui netballer Sammy Murphy has taken a huge leap in her bid for national recognition after being invited to attend the Netball New Zealand National Development Camp in December.

The 16-year-old 187.5cm (6ft 2in) tall Wanganui High School (WHS) student was an integral member of the under-17 team that finished fourth in New Zealand at the nationals earlier this year. And her height and accuracy at goal shoot helped her school side win the Wanganui Premier 1 competition in the season just gone. The High School team went through that competition unbeaten.

Netball Wanganui technical development officer, mother and WHS and under-17 rep coach Lisa Murphy, had more than just a parent's pride and praise for the teenage sensation.

"Sammy's involvement with both the WHS and rep teams played a major role in their success during the season," Murphy senior said.

"The high school side went through the Premier 1 competition unbeaten and the under-17s finished fourth in New Zealand - the best we've ever done. Sammy is tall timber in an attacking position and takes the game very seriously. While she's still young with at least two years of school still ahead of her, she sees netball as a possible future career - she's very dedicated to the sport.

"Sammy is also a talented rower and had to choose between attending a major regatta at Lake Karapiro or the development camp - she chose netball," Murphy said.

This latest invitation was not her first foray into top level netball. Earlier this year she was selected to trial for the New Zealand Maori team.

"Sammy has a big task ahead and her aim is to be selected for the national secondary schools team and this development camp will give her exposure to that level."

The camp is being held between December 13 and 17 at St Peters School in Cambridge and will feature 60 of the country's leading young players and 15 top umpires chosen from the five netball zones.

Netball Central Zone CEO Carolyn Young said: "To have such a high number of our girls involved in the camp is a credit to all the hard work that is being achieved in our schools, clubs and netball centres across the Central Zone," stated Young. "This year we have seen a record number of invites to Wellington Centre players and for the first time in several years, invites have gone out to players in Hawke's Bay, which means that all four lead centres in the zone are represented," she explained.

"High performance is an area we will be focusing on over the next few years as we aim to increase the numbers of Netball Central Zone players in our flagship team, the Haier Pulse."

Included in this year's selection is Bianca van Dyk, daughter of new Haier Pulse signing Irene van Dyk.