Captain Katrina Rore is enjoying a red-hot season with the Pulse. Photo: PhotoWellington
May 17, 2019
Captain Katrina Rore couldn’t have wished for any more than what she’s got at Te Wānanga o Raukawa Pulse after guiding her team to a home Grand Final in the ANZ Premiership netball league.
The face of the Pulse for 10 years, Rore, 32, has enjoyed a stellar season, her equally-adept team-mates putting another stamp on the 2019 edition by securing the minor premiership and a direct route to the June 3 Grand Final with a game to spare.
After being controversially left out of the Silver Ferns team for the Northern Netball Quad Series earlier this year, the lithe and agile in-circle defender has done her talking on the court while crediting the Pulse environment for her relaxed and happy disposition this season.
``Absolutely, I’m in a real happy space,’’ Rore said. ``I feel like I’ve got my balance with netball and life away from netball pretty spot on at the moment. I’m enjoying this team and enjoying our coaches. Netball is netball and it is what it is, I’m having fun and that’s all I can really ask for day-in day-out.
``This team is great and very easy to enjoy, that enjoyment is added to when you win and people are wanting to be here. There’s just been nothing else to have to worry about. This is what we do, coming to training is easy and when something’s easy and you enjoy it, then playing becomes easy.’’
Posting just the one loss, the Pulse have a near-perfect record heading into their final regular season outing against the Northern Mystics in Auckland on Monday. While not wanting to take their foot off the pedal, it is likely they will have a slightly different approach as their preparation for the Grand Final begins in earnest.
``Last week we didn’t really concentrate too much on the Stars, it was all about us, us putting in a good performance, us being a team and us securing a home final,’’ Rore said. ``We achieved that but against the Mystics things could be a little different.
``It’s a chance for us to try, potentially, different game plans and different combinations. There are lots of different things for us that we know we need to do well, do differently so there will probably be a slightly different approach compared to the other games we’ve had this season.’’
A key figure in the league’s best performing defensive unit, the resilient Rore is a hard task master, always demanding more of herself but like most high-achieving athletes always looking for better.
``Not matter what, you always want to be better, but in some games, I feel like I’ve played some of my best netball and in other games, I’ve felt that I could do more,’’ she said. ``You always want to give more, do more and that is especially so when you’re leading the team. Hopefully, I’ve just led by example when I’ve needed to.’’
In regards to next week's naming of the Silver Ferns for July’s Netball World Cup, Rore is at ease with whatever the outcome presents.
``I honestly have totally accepted either way,’’ she said. ``What will be, will be and I don’t feel like I could have done too much more. I’ve just enjoyed myself and had fun this season. If it comes, it comes, and if it doesn’t, it doesn’t and that’s life.’’
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