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The NZ Tall Ferns make their first trip “home” this weekend when they begin a long road that will hopefully lead to the Beijing Olympics.
Coach Mike McHugh will gather his players together in Christchurch, the national programme’s newly adopted headquarters, for the first time since their silver-medal performance at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games 12 months ago.
Over the next 17 months, the Ferns face a very full international programme, as well as a Kiwi debut in the Australian WNBL, in a bid to convince the NZOC they are worthy of Olympic selection.
“It has been quite some time since we have been in camp,” says McHugh. “We’ll be familiarising them with the programme and laying a platform to move forward.
“This wasn’t going to be a talent identification camp, but we do have players missing and it is another opportunity to bring some young players in.”
Seven of the Commonwealth Games roster will attend, but the absentees include the squad’s two most experienced campaigners – captain Donna Wilkins, who has netball commitments with the Southern Sting, and injured Aneka Kerr.
“If Donna and Aneka miss a camp at this time, it’s not such a big deal,” insists McHugh. “It’s not a concern for me.”
Shooter Lisa Pardon is also missing. Currently starring for Launceston Tornadoes in the South East Australia Basketball League, she has a knee injury that would not stand up to the intensity of a three-day camp.
Another late withdrawal is Queensland-based forward Va Aokuso, who has not previously been sighted, but is a prospect at 1.90m tall. Former Church College/Avondale College centre Karlene Kingi (1.90m) has also been called up for the first time.
The camp will feature a fair smattering of last year’s U21 Junior Tall Ferns, including Athens Olympian Angela Marino and NZ cricket international Suzie Bates.
“The thing that always impresses me about Suzie is her leadership skills,” says McHugh. “She has a great ability to help others around her.
“It will be interesting for me to see if her basketball game has matured along with the other aspects she brings.”
Another welcome arrival will be guard Micaela Cocks, who returns after her freshman season at the University of Oregon.
“She was able to arrange with them to come back early to be part of the national programme,” says McHugh. “It’s fantastic of the school to allow her to do that.
“The coaches at Oregon say she has developed, not only as a player, but also off the court. I’m really looking forward to seeing her again.”
The Ferns’ first outing this year will be a five-day visit to Japan next month with fixtures against the national team. In June, they will visit China and the following month, contest the William Jones Cup in Taiwan.
But this camp will also serve as a chance for players to check out the environment around the AWNBL franchise to be based in Christchurch. McHugh says several have been offered contracts and some had already returned them.
While the search continues for a franchise coach, it has narrowed to three prospects with experience in the Australian league.
“Arrangements have been progressing pretty satisfactorily, but a lot of it has been behind the scenes.”
The full squad for this weekend’s NZ Tall Ferns camp is …
Kim Barnes (Counties Manukau), Suzie Bates (Otago), Mandy Caldwell (Canterbury), Micaela Cocks (University of Oregon), Antonia Edmondson (Otago), Erica Hopkinson (Auckland), Karlene Kingi (Harbour), Angela Marino (Perth Lynx), Jess McCormack (Auckland), Kate McMeeken-Ruscoe (Bulleen Boomers), Charmian Purcell (Harbour), Chelsea Terei (Auckland), Lisa Wallbutton (Auckland), Noni Wharemate (Harbour)
