Sonya Hardcastle
Personal information
Born (1972-04-16) 16 April 1972 (age 51)
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.

External links


New Zealand squad at the 1999 World Netball Championships (2nd place)
New Zealand netball squad at the 1998 Commonwealth Games (2nd place)
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