Netball: Player and umpire honoured

Gina Crampton.
Gina Crampton.
Southern Steel midcourter Gina Crampton and Dunedin umpire Jono Bredin were honoured at Netball New Zealand's inaugural awards night in Auckland on Wednesday.

Crampton (23) received the Aspiring Silver Fern award and Bredin was named New Zealand ANZ Championship umpire of the year.

Crampton, who has been with the Steel since 2012, had not started a single ANZ Championship game before this year.

However, she started all 15 games (including playoffs) at wing attack the past season, shining in the midcourt with Shannon Francois and Wendy Frew.

Crampton was born in Hamilton but moved to Wellington with her family when she was 5, before coming to Dunedin to study in 2010.

She is one of five Steel players set to trial for next year's Silver Ferns squad in Auckland next month, and said it was ''really cool'' to be recognised on Wednesday night for a good season with the Steel.

Jono Bredin.
Jono Bredin.
''Court time is what gets you there,'' she said.

''The main thing for me was just getting out on court. It's just so good to be playing and it's what makes you improve your game, because you're getting that experience.''

The midcourter also credited Francois and Frew for helping her adjust to the ANZ Championship level.

''Shannon has been a huge part of my playing career. I've played with her for years now. It's so good that we can play together with the Steel and I think we work well together. She and Wendy are always supportive and encouraging.''

Crampton, Francois and fellow Steel players Storm Purvis, Brooke Leaver and Te Paea Selby-Rickit will head to Auckland for the week-long national trials starting on December 7.

Bredin, who umpired his third consecutive ANZ Championship final in June, said it was nice to be acknowledged with other stakeholders in the game.

The Dunedin Netball chairman's next umpiring job is in January, when England hosts Australia in a three-match series.

The series will be the first to be played under the International Netball Federation's new rules, which include umpires not being required to blow the whistle after each goal and when the ball is obviously out of play.

''I think what some people don't realise, we as umpires have had frustrations with some of the rules,'' Bredin said.

''I'm really pleased with the not blowing whistle on goals scored and the ball going out of court. But also doing away with some of the pedantic rules, such as not being in the centre circle with both feet and having to worry where a player is standing if they want to play the ball quickly on a penalty.''

Silver Ferns vice-captain Laura Langman was the big winner on the night, walking away with the Dame Lois Muir Supreme Award, New Zealand ANZ Championship player of the year and Silver Ferns player of the year.

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