Talented teenaged shooter Phoenix Schwalger, who made her debut in the opening round of the Synergy Hair Netball League, is the latest in an impressive line of netballers to emerge from St Mary’s College in Wellington.
Needing an exemption to play in the National Netball League (NNL), the 1.8m Schwalger made an instant impression for defending champions Central Manawa when they posted back-to-back wins over the Southern Blast to open their 2023 campaign.
Schwalger, the daughter of John Schwalger, former Wellington, Hurricanes and All Blacks rugby prop, couldn’t have asked for a better start in a first-up 17-goal win, the 16-year-old returning a handsome 42 shots from 45 attempts.
'In the first quarter, I was actually really scared and it wasn’t until like the second quarter where I calmed down,’’ she said. ``But, yeah, it was really cool for my first game.’’
Keeping her honest, the second clash was a much tighter low-scoring contest with neither side scoring more than nine goals in any quarter, Manawa squeaking to a two-goal win in a what has been a whirlwind few months for the teenager.
"I was only here (originally) to trial for this to make up the numbers and when I found out I was making it into the wider squad, I was really surprised,’’ she said.
"It has been a goal to progress as far as I can in netball but this has exceeded everything. Before it wasn’t this level, it was more focussing on New Zealand secondary schools and my school netball.’’
She will also turn out for her school team in the Premier 1 division where she will follow in the footsteps of others from the St Mary’s netball nursery in the form of Renee Savai’inaea, Saviour Tui and Ainsleyana Puleiata, who all came through the Manawa ranks and are now plying their trade in the ANZ Premiership.
"The Manawa team are all really nice and it’s cool because they’re all experienced as well, so I’m not just learning from my coaches, I’m also learning a lot from them,’’ said Schwalger, who regularly hones her skills with 150 – 200 practice shots.
"I just want to learn as much as I can from my coaches and team-mates, and put it out on court. And to be more confident which I lack a little bit.’’
Being a schoolgirl, and as part of the rules, Schwalger needed an exemption to play in the NNL.
"The fundamental principal is that Netball New Zealand (NNZ) is mindful that schoolgirls have someone overseeing their load, that they are cared for and that they are well managed during the NNL,’’ Netball Central Director of High Performance Wai Taumaunu said.
"The bottom line is the NNL is a big step up for any schoolgirl netballer and NNZ wants to make sure that the Zones look after them as well as they should.’’
Schwalger’s shooting partner at the weekend, Te Wānanga o Raukawa Pulse training partner Kiana Pelasio was suitably impressed with her rookie offsider.
"We’ve worked together all pre-season and she definitely doesn’t play like she’s a 16-year-old schoolgirl. She’s amazing,’’ Pelasio enthused.
"Although there were some nerves from her, she really stood up and for her first games in this league, she should be really, really proud of herself.
"She’s a very, very strong player with a bright future. She just needs to back herself. She’s easy to play with and the connections are strong, she’s got a lot more to show us.’’
Central Manawa will meet the Comets in Round 2 action in Auckland on Sunday, the northerners also emerging unscathed after last week’s opener.