Southern Steel player Daneka Wipiiti. Photo by NZPA.
Having once considered herself as just a number on the
bench, netball shooter Daneka Wipiiti is looking to take full
advantage of her return to Silver Ferns contention.
The Southern Steel player is one of the hopefuls pressing for
inclusion in the 12-strong Commonwealth Games team, which
will be named on Friday at the conclusion of a selection camp
in Auckland.
A shortage of shooting options, with Jodi Brown focusing on
motherhood and fellow-former Silver Fern Paula Griffin taking
a break from the sport, puts Wipiiti in line to be back-up
for the frontline pair of Irene van Dyk and Maria Tutaia in
New Delhi in October.
"It's a huge goal to be part of the Commonwealth Games team,"
she said.
"It's nice to be back with the girls, but I have to stamp my
authority, take the opportunity with two hands and go for
it."
Hamilton-born Wipiiti, 27, made her Silver Ferns debut in
2002, but has spent a large part of her career away from the
test arena and has just nine caps to her name.
A new mum, she said she was "a lot older, a lot wiser" than
when she was first selected as a wide-eyed 19-year-old.
"I had just moved up to Auckland and I was a little kid in
the big smoke, and then I was thrown into the Ferns team,"
she said.
"It was such a big thing to get my head around."
Now she knew what her body was capable of and what she had to
do in her preparation to go up against the best.
Her goals were also higher.
"Before it was overwhelming but now I'm crazy and I really
want a gold medal," she said.
"Hopefully I get the opportunity to be with the girls to do
that and to be out there starting as well or be on option off
the bench, whereas before I was probably a number on the
bench."
Wipiiti's call-up for the camp came after a strong showing in
this year's transtasman league and she credited part of that
to motherhood.
In December, Wipiiti, whose partner is Southland rugby lock
Joe Tuimeau, gave birth to daughter Kilani-Mae.
It had been "hard yakka" getting back to match fitness after
having a baby, while being a mother had given her a balance
that helped her netball.
"I go away to train and I'm Daneka, and I come home and I'm a
mum," she said.
"There are two aspects of my life now, whereas before,
everything was netball. When I go away, I give 100 percent,
but then I come home and really relax and concentrate on
being a mum."
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