Ngāpuhi ki Rarotonga U15 netball team win their division

On 29 December 2017 our Ngāpuhi ki Rarotonga U15 team travelled to Rarotonga for the Netball in Paradise tournament and represented their iwi well. Not only did they wear their Ngāpuhi tribal gear with pride and look mīharo, but the girls played their hearts out and managed to win their division.

With our team being made up of Māori girls from all around the motu; Taipa, Paihia, Moerewa, Rawene and Auckland, our netball trip to Rarotonga was an amazing opportunity for our players to be a part of. After months of training we went into the competition not knowing what to expect but really wanting to do as well as we could.

We had five games over four days and through determination and team effort we came out undefeated. Our team, management and supporters were all proud to bring the trophy for winning the U15 Netball in Paradise back home to Aotearoa. Aside from netball, the players had gained new friendships, more confidence in themselves and one another as a team, and a huge sense of pride of what they had achieved on and off the court. Our Rarotonga trip is one the girls can hold dear to their hearts.

This is a letter to give a huge mihi for the sponsorship and support we received from Te Rūnanga-Ā-Iwi O Ngāpuhi. All koha given was gratefully received and did not go unnoticed. Our t-shirt, hats and bags were worn with confidence; we had many compliments on the way our team looked! The putea we received went towards our kai; one of the most important things (besides the netball).

Nō reira, tēnei ngā mihi maioha, ngā mihi aroha ōtira ngā mutunga kore ki Te Rūnanga-Ā-Iwi O Ngāpuhi, nā koutou i tautoko mai, nā koutou hoki ēnei taonga mai ki a mātou nō te rōpū ko Ngāpuhi ki Rarotonga kia anga whakamua ai, kia angitū ai. E mihi ana. Nō reira tēnā koutou, tēnā rā koutou katoa.

Nāku noa, Tahlea Fong (Coach)

[Published in E Mara E Pānui 29 March 2018]