Thank you to all those who attended Auckland Netball's 2024 AGM last night. It was lovely to reflect on the successes of 2023, present some well-deserved awards and look ahead to another exciting year at Auckland Netball.

Two changes to the Auckland Netball Board were voted on at the AGM. Firstly, the election of our new Board President Liz Kirschberg, who comes into the role after serving on the Board for 9 years. Liz has been involved in netball since stepping onto a court as a Year 1 player and progressed through the sport as a representative player, coach, manager, umpire, and administrator. Liz has a background in media and currently works in the communications and public relations space, so is well placed to be the face of netball to members and the public and ensure the diverse viewpoints of our members are represented to the Board.

Secondly, Avary Patutama was elected to the Board for 2024. Avary has served as a Board Intern and Board member since 2022. She started playing at Windmill Road when she was five years old and moved from playing to mostly umpiring and developing junior umpires. Outside of netball she is a Senior Solicitor and will use her knowledge of Auckland Netball, as well as her legal and commercial experience and cultural perspective (as a Māori, Cook Island and Niuean woman) to support the board in 2024 and beyond.

At the AGM Auckland Netball extended congratulations to Julie Coney for her re-election as a Netball NZ Board Member. Julie joined the NNZ Board in February 2023 and been involved in netball as a player at the highest level, a netball commentator for 17 years, as well as roles at franchise level in management and governance. She has been recognised with an MBE for Services to Netball in 1990 and received a Netball Service Award at Club, Regional and National level.

Local Aucklander Kelly Wieczorek was also acknowledged for winning the 2023 Cadbury Volunteer Award for Volunteer Coach of the Year at the recent Netball New Zealand Awards. Kelly logged up over 400 hours of club coaching during 2023. Besides coaching two teams at Premier and Senior A level, respectively, Kelly coached at representative level while also taking on the club committee role of Coach/Manager Liaison. She also volunteered her time for the Centre as an Auckland representative coach at the U16 level and then, because that wasn't enough, took on the an additional role for the U18 programme as well. 

Board President Anne Leijnen also congratulated Auckland Netball Life Member Bev Douglas for receiving the Netball New Zealand Life Member Award. This is the highest honour within netball in this country and is richly deserved for the contribution Bev has made to the sport over the past 60 years. 

The winner of the 2023 Stonefields Community Coach Award was Natalie Milicich from College Rifles Netball. In addition to her various roles with the NNL Marvels, Mens Netball and as Head Coach at College Rifles, for the last three years, Natalie has also served as the Auckland Netball Representative Convenor. She achieved remarkable success as the Head Coach of the Auckland Netball Open Team, leading them to victory in the competition. This triumph marked the first time in nine years that Auckland has secured the title.

The 2023 Laser Club Player of the Year was Toni Guy from College Rifles Netball. Toni significantly developed her defensive skill set in 2023 and was nominated for several CRN club awards including Most Improved Premier Player, Sonia Wiggans Trophy, Senior Coach of the Year, Spirit Award and Club Cup. She contributes significantly to netball outside of playing and in 2023 she coached CRN Colts, was a member of the CRN Committee and umpired for the club.

Claire Hogarth received the Philip Hope Volunteer of the Year Award. Carlton Netball Club President and Coach Co-Ordinator Claire assisted many Carlton Netball teams this season and stepped in to umpire and coach their teams when needed. Claire mentored the Colts players for the past few seasons and did essential work to organise grants and uniforms for the club.

Three Auckland Netball Service Awards were presented at the AGM this year - Debbie Edwards, April Ieremia and Glendon Carter.  

Debbie Edwards has been a premier coach at Auckland Netball for 15 years. She has been a coach at Premier level for Secondary School teams and is also an Auckland Netball umpire with experience at numerous high-level competitions. 

Former Silver Ferns player April Ieremia has been part of the Auckland Netball community for over 9 years. She has coached at elite level, premier level, age groups and secondary school and has had a number of coaching successes with her recent achievement as Assistant Coach of our Open Team placing 1st at the NetballSmart NNZ Open Champs. 

Glendon Carter has been a valued member of the Auckland Netball umpires community for 14 years. Glendon is going to be impossible to replace, and a Service Award is deserved recognition for the significant contribution Glendon has made to Auckland Netball over the last 14 years. Glendon has been an umpire coach and assessor on the NZ Umpires Panel and has also been a member of the Auckland Netball Umpires Committee for the past 8 years. Sadly Glendon’s time with us has come to an end (for now) as he and his family have moved to Brisbane but we wish him all the best.

Finally, Chairperson Mike Oliver thanked our outgoing Board President Anne Leijnen for her service to the Auckland Netball Board over the last 10 years, in addition to her involvement with Auckland Netball moving from Windmill Road to the St John's site. Anne's contribution to Auckland Netball has been extremely signficant and she will be dearly missed. 

Article added: Thursday 07 March 2024