Canterbury U-16 to Australia

Canterbury U16

"Totally Stoked"

Actually, team co-coach Rob Smith, used words far more decorative to describe the Canterbury U16 team's performance in the Australian Regional Competition just completed. Having won 4 of the 6 games played, and providing quality competition in the games not won, his words are more than appropriate. The compliments given by our opponents' coaches are a testament to the quality of the pre-travel work and training undertaken by the players.

The foci of the team trip were to Have Fun, Learn, and hopefully win a few games. They quickly came to terms with the smaller playing space and different rule interpretations. Winning the games, playing the way they did against the experience and pedigree of the Victorian and South Australian contingents and exhibiting standards of presentation, preparation and thorough organisation, brings Canterbury and New Zealand Korfball in as a real competitor and sets the standard for future NZ representative korfball teams.

Round-robin leaders

They will not take all the credit themselves though, as they acknowledge the assistance of Helen Searle, Korfball Australia's IKF representative and inspirational coach of Australia's most accomplished korfball team ever - that which won the bronze medal at the 1995 World Championships.

With the extended strategy and positional training provided by Helen, the team learnt and implemented important extra skills. With her sideline expertise, coaches Rob Smith and Pete Gill strategically cycled the team members throughout the games allowing all players to make an important impact upon their opposition.

Taking the penalty

For the record, the U16 results were

U16's bowled underarm

In a case of 'Aussie Rules' however, the Canterbury U16 Korfball team was denied their place in the Final. After competing well, decisively beating the two South Australian teams, Korfball Australia representatives informed the team management that the team would not be able to compete in the Final.

Warming up on a dreary day

The KA decreed that under the regulations, the Canterbury team was only an Invitation team and as such could not win the Regional Title. Therefore, the final would be played between the highest ranked team (Victoria's Bacchus Marsh) and the third placed team, South Australia's, SA2.

Competing for the ball

While this reporter accepts KA's decision regarding the eligibility of the Canterbury regional team to win the Australian Regional competition, denying them the right to compete appears to make a farce of having an Invitation Team. It would, perhaps, have been better to play the Final based on true placings to provide a meaningful competition, but award the prizes to those eligible. This structure would be similar to a Pro/Am Golf tournament, and makes it clear where the true playing level resides.

Focussed coach

In a credit to the team, all the young members accepted the decision and got on with the task in hand, playing inspiring Korfball against all sides.

Hearty congratulations therefore go to:-

Captain: Ben Mathieson
Vice Captain: Rose Podvoiskis

Team: Mathew Bathurst, Ashley Butler, Bonnie Buzzard, Jacinda Buzzard, Priscilla Buzzard, Karne Fowler, Adam Klomp, Kyle Rempala, Linneke Toes, Gerard Simpson.

Team Manager: Carol Bathurst
Coaches: Pete Gill, Rob Smith
KNZ Referee: Ian Harding

U16 Top Teams