Sonya Hardcastle

Sonya Hardcastle
Personal information
Born (1972-04-16) 16 April 1972 (age 52)
New Zealand
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Netball career
Playing position(s): C, WA
Years Club team(s) Apps
1998–99, 2001 Northern Force
Years National team(s) Caps
1992, 1997–99  New Zealand
Medal record
Representing  New Zealand
Netball World Championships
Silver medal – second place 1999 Christchurch Netball
Commonwealth Games
Silver medal – second place 1998 Kuala Lumpur Netball
Last updated: 26 March 2010

Sonya Hardcastle (born 16 April 1972)[1] is a New Zealand former international netball player.

An attacking midcourt player, Hardcastle was first selected for the New Zealand national netball team, the Silver Ferns, in 1992.[2] She sustained a back injury the following year, which kept her out of the 1993 World Games.[3] Outside of netball, Hardcastle was stalked several times during her early international career.[4] After taking time out to focus on studies, Hardcastle rejoined the Silver Ferns in 1997,[3] and went on to win silver medals at the 1998 Commonwealth Games and 1999 Netball World Championships.

With the start of the Coca-Cola Cup (later the National Bank Cup) in 1998, Hardcastle signed with the Northern Force; having moved to live in Invercargill, she also started playing provincial netball for Southland.[5] She announced her retirement from all forms of netball after 1999,[6] although she played again with the Northern Force in 2001;[7] she also made a surprise return to play with North Harbour in the 2008 provincial netball season.[2]

Her sisters Nadine and Rochelle also played alongside Sonya in domestic netball, with Rochelle joining her in the Northern Force. Her mother is also a coach with Netball North Harbour.[8]

References

  1. ^ "The Silver Ferns". The Press. 24 February 1999. p. T6.
  2. ^ a b Johannsen, Dana (26 September 2008). "Ferns veteran happy to help". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
  3. ^ a b Hinton, Marc (19 October 1997). "Hardcastle's return in home stretch". The Sunday Star-Times. p. B5.
  4. ^ Drent, Rob (19 May 1996). "Law may be used to stop stalkers". The Press. p. A6.
  5. ^ Heron, Kate (26 June 1998). "Lifestyle change for Hardcastle". The Southland Times. p. 24.
  6. ^ "For the record". The Sunday Star-Times. 19 December 1999. p. B16.
  7. ^ Gray, Russell (3 May 2001). "We're not a spent Force, says coach". The Dominion Post. p. 28.
  8. ^ McFadden, Suzanne (14 August 1999). "A huge part of this family's life". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 26 March 2010.


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