Netball New Zealand's Emerging Talent Selectors announced today the 12 players selected in the New Zealand Secondary Schools team to compete in the 2010 International Schoolgirls Netball Challenge and defend the Gold Medal won in 2009. The players were selected from the 24 trialists who took part in the New Zealand Secondary Schools (NZSS) camp held in Christchurch last week.

The International Schoolgirls Netball Challenge will be held in Adelaide, 24-27 May 2010. Other competing teams include School Sport Australia, Aotearoa, Indigenous School Sport Australia, Bukit Jalil Sports School (Malaysia) and the Pacific Rim Secondary School Team.

NZSS coach Adrienne Morrin was very impressed with the calibre of talent at the camp. She says, "The depth of talent at the camp made for difficult decisions as we had a great mix of players and an array of different combination options."

"This a short campaign and we could easily see many of the 24 trialists having a long term future in Netball."

The team includes four players from the victorious 2009 NZSS Team: Sulu Tone Fitzpatrick, Emma Weenink, Sophia Fenwick and Kirsten Hurley all took the court in the Final against Australia. Sulu and Emma are also members of the NZU21 squad and Sophia, along with newcomer Storm Purvis, are in the current National Emerging Talent Accelerant Group.

The 2010 New Zealand Secondary Schools Team is: (Please  note that Toni Rinckes has been added to the team in replace of the injured Emma Weenink)

2010 NEW ZEALAND SECONDARY SCHOOLS TEAM Coach: Adrienne Morrin
PLAYER	SCHOOL	NETBALL REGION
Tera-Maria Amani	Mount Albert Grammar School	Auckland Waitakere
Jessica Bourke	Marist College	Auckland Waitakere
Kelsey Ashworth	Ashburton College	Canterbury
Sophia Fenwick	Rangi Ruru Girls' School	Canterbury
Kirsten Hurley	Saint Kentigern College	Counties Manukau
Brooke Leaver	Tu Toa	Western
Stacey Peeters*	St Peter's College	Southland
Erikana Pedersen	Mount Albert Grammar School	Auckland Waitakere
Storm Purvis	Diocesan School for Girls	Auckland Waitakere
Toni Rinckes	Pakuranga College	Counties Manukau
Harley Smith	Trident High School	Bay of Plenty
Sulu Tone Fitzpatrick	St Cuthbert's College	Auckland Waitakere
* Subject to medical clearance Non-Travelling Reserves: Tamsin Moala (Waitara High School), Sarah Hayman (Rangiora High School), Sian Telfer (Whangarei Girls' High School), Lyddia Moke (Rotorua Girls' High School), Greer Patterson (New Plymouth Girls' High School)

SLIDESHOW IMAGE: Coach Adrienne Morrin (foreground) and her fellow selectors at the NZ Secondary Schools camp in Christchurch last week. (PHOTO: Sue Harris, CoachForce)