- Academy team wins international competition
- NZ Development Camp selections
- Combined Points Tournament 2017
- 2017 season update
- MAGS wins North Harbour Tournament
- Albertians in 2017 ANZ Championship
- 2016 NZSS final
- 2016 Upper North Island Championship
- Maia Wilson Silver Fern
- Southern Cape Sports Tour Challenge
MAGS’ Netball Academy team won the International Youth Sports Championship in Singapore, beating AFFIES from South Africa 38-27 in the final on Friday, December 1.
From the first whistle MAGS were dominant and focused, pulling away to a 7-1 lead by the end of the first quarter. The South Africans came back to close the gap, but MAGS re-grouped and pulled away to a 10 goal lead at the end of the third quarter. Towards the end of the last changes were made to the seven that started. Coach Paula Smith put all her bench on court to finish the game. The change was seamless.
Ms Smith says the MAGS girls put on dominant displays on attack and defence. Kima Von Dincklage (left) was named Most Valuable Shooter of the tournament.
During the week MAGS also played two other teams from South Africa, three from Australia, and teams from Malaysia and Singapore.
Four MAGS Netball players have been selected for the NZ Netball 2017 National Development Camp.
Addi Albert-Jones, Maddy Gordon, Halaevalu Toutaiolepo and Ruby Young will spend five days at St Peter’s School in Cambridge from January 19-23.
The selection is of young, up and coming netball talent who will be eligible for the Netball World Youth Cup in 2021. The camp aims to give these athletes an indication of what is expected from them should they wish to progress into the performance space, and the work they need to do in 2018.
The camp will host 60 athletes from around the country, coming together to work on off and on court development.
The programme will provide athletes with mental skills training, strength and conditioning development, nutrition planning and understanding of performance analysis.
Auckland Netball Centre
August 2, 2017
MAGS wins Premier and Year 10 divisions, Year 9 reach Quarter-Finals
Premier competition
The Premier team started the day strongly with convincing wins in difficult conditions during pool play. This provided opportunities for new Premier players Alyssa Niko, Waiana Jones and Rikki Fiatau to gain valuable court time to cement combinations heading into Upper North Islands.
The Quarter Final match up against Waikato Diocesan proved to be the toughest and most physical competition with scores level at half time. MAGS started the second half stronger, applying more pressure on defence, picking up intercepts and scoring 3 goals in a row. Final score 19-15.
Advancing into the final to face a talented Howick side. MAGS started the game with a quick 4-0 lead, and led 11-4 at half time. Continuing pressure on defence and quick, precise ball movement meant MAGS never looked like being challenged. Final score 20-10.
Year 10 competition
The Year 10 Grade proceeded much the same as the Premier, with the team winning pool play easily and cruising into the final to play St Kentigern. The team started slowly, soon facing a 0-3 deficit. This did not last long as the whole team applied more pressure on defence and finished clinically at the attack end. MAGS cruised to a 19-8 win.
Year 9 competition
The Year 9 Grade saw stiffer competition. The team made it through to the Quarter Final and made a brave fight back from 7 goals down against St Kentigern to lose by 4.
This tournament is great exposure for all the teams against schools from North Harbour, Waitakere, Waikato and Palmerston North. The experience is particularly valuable for the Premier team, which heads to the Upper North Island Championships in six weeks.
We continue to compete in a number of local, regional and national events including the regional Upper North Island Secondary School Netball (UNISSN) Competition in September.
At a local level we compete in the Auckland Netball Premier One, Two, Senior & Junior Secondary School competitions based weekly Auckland Netball Centre, Mount Wellington (May – August).
Player extension is available through opportunities such as the North Harbour Tournament (May) , Auckland Secondary Schools Combined Points (August), Upper North Islands Championships (September) along with the ultimate challenge of NZSS Championships (October).
We have a Junior Tour to Singapore attending the International Youth Sports Championships (Nov-Dec) to provide extension and growth for our Year 9 & 10 players in our Academy. Players are encouraged to attend Auckland Performance Academy and play Auckland or Waitakere Representative Netball as further opportunities to extend and develop skill levels.
The season is extensive, having begun early February with Ikaroa ki te Raki Maori Netball, and concludes with the ultimate goal of winning the NZSS Championships, which are to be held in Rotorua from October 5-9.
The Premier 1 team won their final in convincing fashion against Westlake Girls High School – final score 30-17
The 2017 netball season got off to a great start with five wins from six finals at the North Harbour Tournament in May.
The Premier 1 and 2 Netball teams each dominated their divisions, while all four Year 9 and 10 teams also made finals with three taking top place.
Both Premier teams won all their games, and both faced Westlake Girls High School in their finals. The top team won 30-17 and the Premier 2 team came from behind to win 24-22.
The Year 10 One team beat Westlake Girls in their final 29-18, the Year 10 Two team won their grade in a round-robin tournament, the Year 9 Two team also beat Westlake Girls in their final 24-15, and the Year 9 One team came second to Epsom Girls 14-16.
MAGS’ Director of Netball Ms Paula Smith said the games were a great display of netball from all the teams. “This tournament provides excellent preparation for The Auckland Secondary Schools Competition. It also about consolidating combinations and developing confidence among the teams.”
Caitlin Dowden
Holly Fowler
Maia Wilson
Erikana Pedersen
Maria Tutaia
Tera-Maria Amani
A third member of MAGS’ national champion Netball team of 2015 has taken the court in the 2017 ANZ Championship competition. Caitlin Dowden turned out for the Mainland Tactix last weekend, and will eventually face fellow Albertians Holly Fowler and Maia Wilson in the Northern Stars.
Caitlin has joined another Albertian, Erikana Pedersen, at the Mainland Tactix. Others playing in the league are Maria Tutaia and Tera-Maria Amani for the Mystics.
After four years as national champions, our Premier Netball team passed on the crown to regular foe Saint Kentigern College, losing the final 34-35 in Lower Hutt on Friday, 7 October, 2016.
MAGS won all their games on the way to the final. As always between these two teams, the scoreboard see-sawed throughout the match, falling on Saint Kentigern’s side by an agonising one point at full time.
Quarter scores: 8-11, 13-6, 6-11, 7-7
Head of Netball Ms Paula Smith said the girls left everything on the court. “I am so proud of how the girls have grown and developed their game this season,” said Ms Smith. “The average age of the team is 16, with only two Year 13’s leaving at the end of this year. I’m very excited about next season already.”
Named in the Tournament Team were Captain Elle Temu, Kasey Price and Lahaina-Lee Upu-Toparea.
Our Premier Netball team turned the tables on Saint Kentigern College on Friday, 2 September, 2016, winning the final of the Upper North Island Championship 23-22.
Saint Kentigern had taken the Auckland Championship from MAGS a week earlier, but that result was swept away in a thrillng UNISS final at the Papakura Netball Centre. This is the 10th year in a row that MAGS has won UNISS.
Elle Temu, Armani Lam and Lahaina-Lee Upu-Toparea were named in the Tourament Team, with Lahaina named Shooter of the Tournament.
Coach Ms Paula Smith said she couldn’t be more proud of all 12 girls who competed through the week, from the Year 13 leaders to the Year 10 girls who stepped up when needed.
The squad will now prepare for the NZSS Championships in Lower Hutt in October.
Albertian Maia Wilson become a dual international at the age of 18 when she debuted for the Silver Ferns on Wednesday, 14 September.
Maia came on as goal shoot in the final minutes of the second Test against Jamaica in the New World Netball Series for the Taini Jamison Trophy.
She made an immediate impact, slotting her first shot on goal and going on to net three goals on debut.
Wilson becomes the 163rd player to pull on the Black Dress, having also played for the NZ Tall Ferns Basketball team in 2014. After completing Year 13 at MAGS last year, she went straight to a contract with ANZ Championship team the Central Pulse.
Maia said it was a privilege to be on court with the Silver Ferns. “It’s an amazing opportunity. To be able to solidify my spot as an 18-year-old is awesome.”
Maia will be hoping to once again make the court in the Silver Ferns’ next Test against Jamaica this Saturday, 17 September, in Rotorua. The game will screen live on Sky Sport 1 at 5pm before the All Blacks Test against South Africa at 7.30pm.
Christchurch, 2-6 October, 2016
MAGS Under 16 team wins final 22-15 v Hillview (Christchurch)
MAGS Under 18 team wins final 15-9 v South Africa
In the second week of the school holiday’s MAGS took an U16 and U18 team down to Christchurch to play in the Southern Cape Sports Tour Challenge. The purpose of the trip was to develop the girls’ skills and their ability to adapt and apply instant instruction.
Our accommodation provided the girls valuable life skills from the camp style environment, where they adopted the approach of “many hands make light work” and “there is no I in TEAM”. Divided into groups for cooking and cleaning, with a mix of Seniors and Juniors in each group, assisted in leadership and direction for those students who needed it. On non-game days the girls had a training session on New Brighton Beach and opportunities to explore Christchurch.
The first games on the Sunday were played at Papanui High School. Our U16 won their first game with confidence against the South African Tournament Team 26-4. Their next game of the day against Hillview Netball Club proved to be more challenging, but we came away with the win 20-19.
The U18 girls came up against Linwood College first and won comfortably 38-10. They then played Hillview Netball Club and won 24-10.
The second day of competition at the Graham Condon Centre saw the U18 come away with wins against the South African team and Linwood in the semi-final 37-11. The U16 team played only one game against Riccarton High, winning 25-13. The girls automatically went through to the final as the other team defaulted in the semi-final.
Both teams’ finals were played inside on Thursday at the Graham Condon Centre. Our U18 team won each third and came away with the win against South Africa 15-9. Our U16 were up against Hillview again, and were even in the first two thirds. The girls had to fight in the last third, but showed composure and fitness, winning 22-15.
Many of the girls were lucky enough to be selected as part of the tournament team, with Rosarina Pillissi (above) chosen as the U18 player of the tournament.
We were very proud of how the girls represented themselves and MAGS.
Nadine Mackinnon, Teacher in Charge
The Under 16 team
The Under 18 team