Netballers excited by national selection

Massey University students Jodi Beaumont and Amber Bellringer have been named in the New Zealand under-21 netball team to play in Australia in July.

The two second-year students, who play for the Feilding Netball Club, were named in the squad of 12 and are two of only three players from the western region in the squad. The team play Australia under-19, the Australian Institute of Sport and England under-19 in Canberra.

Ms Beaumont is studying a Bachelor of Agricultural Science and Ms Bellringer is studying a Bachelor of Health Science.

Ms Bellringer says her selection was a huge surprise because she wasn’t even in the original trial squad and was called up only four days before the trial. “To get to the trial was thrilling enough for me, but to make the actual 12-member team was extremely exciting, particularly with the calibre of players I was up against,” she says. “I am really looking forward to making the most of the opportunity as this is the first time I have represented New Zealand in netball.”

She credits some of her success to her improved fitness this season, which is largely due to the base she built rowing over summer and the work she’s done with fitness trainer James Amon with the Academy of Sport.

Ms Beaumont, who played for the Central Pulse netball team in the trans-Tasman competition in 2008, is looking to be contracted again this year and one day hopes to play for the Silver Ferns.

She says she is extremely pleased to be included in the team from the squad of 20 that was training in January. “It’s a privilege to represent New Zealand, so I was very excited when I was selected.”

She is determined not going to waste her place in the squad. “There is so much talent in this age group that you can’t take anything for granted and you have to give your best performance every time.” A place in the ANZ Netball Championship is also a goal. “To get up to this level I’ll have to stand out and put my hand up to be selected.”