Zones
Netball South Zone is a regional sports organisation and one of the five netball zones in Aotearoa that is affiliated with Netball New Zealand.
We manage the elite netball teams the Southern Steel competing in the ANZ Premiership, as well as the development team the Southern Blast competing in the National Netball League.
Our zone stretches from Oamaru in North Otago, to Invercargill in Southland. We encompass 10 netball centres which deliver community netball events and competitions for over 10,000 registered players of all ages.
Our Purpose
To promote the game of netball and deliver advice and support services to the people behind the game: The programmes, teams, events, and competitions they run.
Our Role
Netball South Zone is responsible for the promotion, development and growth of netball within our zone. We serve as the connection between Netball New Zealand and netball centres operating at a local level.
We provide support and communication to our centres, empowering them to effectively deliver netball services to their communities. We support in the areas of, centre governance and management, umpire development, coach development and injury prevention.
Netball South Zone also works in the space of athlete development by creating performance pathways for aspiring players, coaches and officials.
We also manage our elite netball teams competing in New Zealand’s domestic netball competition, the ANZ Premiership.
A huge round of applause to the incredible coaches who have successfully completed Netball New Zealand’s Community Coach Award Level 1 and Level 2 during August and September!
A huge congratulations to all the teams from the Netball Northern Zone who competed at the recent Netball NZ Open Champs. Your hard work, skill, and sportsmanship were on full display, and it's fantastic to see our zone's strength reflected in the final standings.
The New Zealand Secondary Schools (NZSS) squad for 2025 has been announced, and Netball Northern is thrilled to see so many of our athletes recognised for their talent and hard work.
NetballSmart is the official injury prevention and performance enhancement programme of Netball New Zealand. This holistic programme works by connecting at all levels, from coaches, players and parents to officials and governance.
NetballSmart is embedded into coaching resources within New Zealand and is a part of the netball community, from grassroots through to performance and high-performance.
NetballSmart’s four key strategies are:
- Decrease serious injuries (ankles & knees).
- Increase engagement of NetballSmart philosophies into netball practices.
- Improve player wellbeing and welfare.
- Develop Physically Capable Competent Movers (PCCM) who can cope with the demands of the game.
South Zone NetballSmart Development Officer
Meet our NetballSmart Development Officer Paula Shortall
Paula supports Netball Centres in the South Zone to develop NetballSmart strategies and practices, as well as delivering the NetballSmart principles to coaches, players, parents, and umpires.
As an experienced physiotherapist, Paula Is a passionate advocate of improving players movement patterns, performance and wellbeing whilst reducing the risk of serious injuries.
If you are interested in how NetballSmart can work with your netball community, please contact Paula
For more information, visit www.netballsmart.co.nz
One of the biggest events on the secondary schools’ netball calendar wrapped up this week, with the 2025 Upper North Island Secondary Schools (UNISS) Tournament hosted at the Auckland Netball Centre from Monday 25 to Friday 29 August 2025.
As the Netball World Youth Cup 2025 approaches, the under-21 teams from Samoa, the Cook Islands, and Fiji are preparing for the prestigious tournament in Gibraltar. Several players from New Zealand's Northern Zone have been selected to represent their respective nations, highlighting the region’s strong netball talent.