Netball coach Faye Eden hopes history repeats when Nelson stages the South Island Secondary School (SISS) tournament next week.
When it was last here, 15 years ago, Faye guided Waimea College to finish fifth which ensured that school’s first trip to the nationals.
Faye is hoping for more of the same with her Nelson College for Girls senior side which is seeded seventh of the 32 schools in the A grade.
That’s based on last year’s results at the SISS event in Dunedin.
“Our starting goal is to make the top five. We would hope to win our first two games and advance to the top 16,” declares Faye who has been with Nelson College for Girls for 10 years.
Her side is coming off a 68-58 loss to Waimea Prices Ahurei in an elimination match in the Nelson netball premier league last Thursday.
The game was closer than the final scoreline suggested.
“We had never been in a premier semi-final before, so that was just a bonus ahead of playing schoolgirls,” says Faye.
NCG will face Avonside High School and Wakatipu High School on Monday afternoon and then Rolleston College, in their Group G pool games.
“It is a great draw for us,” quips Faye.
Nayland, which was runner-up last year, is also in the Senior A grade but is missing all of its starting seven from the 2025 breakout campaign.
Garin College and Waimea College will go head-to-head in their opening B grade game at 1pm on the Saxton Field courts.
