Top QMC sportswomen named as Netball NZ reps

Two of Queen Margaret College’s top sportswomen have been selected for the Netball New Zealand Secondary Schools Squad.

College Head Prefect Tiuana-Marie Aiono and Year 12 student Paris Lokotui found out they made the prestigious squad at the weekend following an intensive training camp in Cambridge.

The pair have both played netball for several years and say it was exciting to have made the team.

“It felt amazing to be named in the squad,” Paris says.

“It was a real relief that our hard work all paid off,” Tiuana-Marie adds.

Queen Margaret House boarder, Paris has played in National tournament teams for water polo, netball and basketball before and has been selected to trial for the New Zealand team playing in the 2018 FIBA Under-17 Women’s Basketball World Cup in Belarus later this year.

This is Tiuana-Marie’s first national team. The Porirua resident has played over 200 games for Queen Margaret College after being the youngest person to make the school’s Senior A Netball team when she was only in Year 8.

The pair credit their sporting success to working hard and encourage other young people trying to make a name for themselves to do the same.

“If you put in the time and the effort you will be rewarded,” Tiuana-Marie says.

“It’s also really important to bounce back if you don’t initially succeed,” Paris says.

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