CASEY KOPUA

MY NETBALL HERO

ABOUT CASEYCasey May Kopua (Williams)

Born 19th June 1985 (29 years old) in HamiltonParents Murray and Joanne Williams, farmers in Matamata

Casey has 3 siblings: Jan-Marie, Rhys, Lynaire

Casey started playing netball as a 6 year old at Hinuera School. Because of her height , Casey often played with older girls .

Casey’s Mum said “She was so tall that she didn’t look that different from the 11-12 year olds she was playing with”

Casey attended Matamata College where she was trained by a former silver fern Anne Taylor

Casey visits her parents Matamata farm once a week when she’s not away playing

Did you know? Casey’s Mum was asked to trail for the Ferns when she was younger, but this didn’t happen because she was pregnant with her visit child,

Jan-Marie

Information from Waikato Times July 2014

Casey is the current captain of the New Zealand Silver Ferns,

she has been a member of the NZ national netball team since 2004

Casey made her on-court debut in 2005 against Barbados.

She also played in the New Zealand U21 netball team that won GOLD at the World

Youth Netball Championships in Florida USA.

During her career Casey has won gold medals at the 2006 and 2010 Commonwealth

Games and the 2009 World Netball Series.

In July 2009, Casey Williams became the 23rd captain of the Silver Ferns.

In domestic netball, Casey started playing for the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic in 2003

Casey netball positions are GD and GK

- In the 2011 Queen’s Birthday Honours, Casey was appointed an ‘Officer of

the New Zealand Order of Merit’ for her services to New Zealand netball.

- In December 2012, Casey married Hamilton lawyer Terry Kopua.

- On 11th October 2014, Casey became the most capped New Zealand netball

captain in history playing her 63rd test as a captain against Australia. During

this game (in the 4th quarter) Casey suffered a suspected dislocated patella

(knee injury). Scans later revealed Casey had ruptured her patella tendon,

which needed surgery to repair it.

I once saw Casey in a shop at the Base with her husband and baby. Mum asked (I was too shy) if she would sign my skateboard that I had just brought with my birthday money. That was really cool!!

I went and watched the Magic play the Pulse in Hamilton a couple of Mondays ago. I saw Casey play for first game since her really bad knee injury. That was very cool because she was really close while she warmed up!

THE END

BY SOPHIE MCDONALD

INFORMATION FROM WIKIPEDIA.ORG AND STUFF.CO.NZ/WAIKATO TIMES