Steel captaincy now double act

Gina Crampton
Gina Crampton
It turns out Wendy Frew's shoes were so big the Southern Steel needed two people to fill them.

Gina Crampton and Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit are set to co-captain the side in next year's ANZ Premiership.

That follows the retirement of longtime captain Frew, who led the team to back-to-back titles the past two seasons.

Crampton had the experience of being last year's vice-captain beneath Frew.

That had been valuable, but the new duo would not set out to replicate what Frew did.

"I think we won't try to do that - it's not about filling Wendy's shoes," she said.

"It's about making our own and that's probably not the focus for us, just doing well at our jobs."

She was excited to have the leadership opportunity and felt she and Selby-Rickit would make a good team.

The shared captaincy was a new approach for the team and it was something the pair were working through.

"Now that we're in it together we have to make sure we're going to make it work for us and for the team to make sure we're doing all the right things and covering all the bases.

Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit. Photo: Supplied
Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit.
"So I think it's good there's two of us - we just have to work out the specifics, I guess.

"We're in the initial sort of conversations about that.

"Just figuring out who likes what more and what sort of things we could do each.

"So I think hopefully by game time we'll know where we're at with that sort of stuff."

Next month it will be Selby-Rickit taking charge though, as Crampton will be away with the Silver Ferns at the Northern Quad Series.

Despite that she will be keeping tabs on everything from afar.

"I hate being away from the team - it's definitely the worst bit of it.

"We've got a couple of group chats that we stay in touch with.

"There will definitely be a few messages going back and forward which is lovely, because I love to know what's going on - I don't want to feel like I'm missing out on too much."


 

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