Redbacks ready to bite back

The Redbacks are back - and this year they hope to go all the way – well, to the New Zealand champs at least.

After getting a team together last season the group of Marlborough women’s volleyballers, collectively known as the ‘Redbacks’, tried to enter the southern zone qualifying tournaments but were denied on a technicality.

This season they are fully focussed on playing in the Southern Zone events and, from there, qualifying for the National champs, which will be staged in Auckland during October.

Team stalwart Abbey Greenwood, who along with team captain Suzie Wickham has previously represented New Zealand, explains.

“Last year we started pulling some players together – we realised that there were enough players, and not just high school players, around that were keen to play something that was not just social league stuff.

“We played a couple of masters tournaments in 2024, because we are all old enough to qualify for masters now, and we tried to play a couple of southern zone tournaments but we weren’t allowed to take part because we weren’t intending to qualify for nationals.

“Going forward into this year, everyone seems to be keen to keep playing so we are hoping to play, based on numbers of course, the southern qualifying tournaments in Christchurch during July, August and September and qualify for the nationals … if everything falls into place.”

The Redbacks started training two weeks ago and recently competed in the Mad May Masters tournament in Blenheim, testing themselves against mixed sides from Christchurch, Nelson and Kaikoura.

Alongside Susie and Abbey, several of the other team members came through the Marlborough Girls’ College programme, some under the guidance of long-serving Redbacks and NZ mentor Alister McKenzie, who will coach the side.

There will also be something of an international flavour, with players from Switzerland, Argentina and the USA signed up.

“It’s mostly old girls who want to play again not necessarily just in the Thursday social league at the stadium … if our bodies will let us,” added Abbey with a chuckle,” everyone is on board and really keen to play again at this level.

“There are a few of us in that phase where our kids are growing up and we can get back into sport again, we are a bit more time-free and can return to our old existences somewhat.

“It’s about recapturing that feeling when you are back playing again of, ‘I remember why I love playing this sport’, plus being in the team environment … that’s what everyone is so excited about,” she added.

The Redbacks squad: Susie Wickham (captain), Abbey Greenwood, Katie Cunningham, Victoria White, Tamara Couper, Iona Fraser, Laura Marengo, Roberta Di Marco, Kayla Bennion, Miranda Rae. Coach Alister McKenzie.