Casey_Kopua

Casey Kopua

Casey Kopua

New Zealand netball player

Casey May Kopua ONZM (née Williams; born 19 June 1985) is a retired New Zealand international netball player and former captain of the New Zealand national netball team, the Silver Ferns, and the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic.

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Kopua became a member of the New Zealand national netball team (the Silver Ferns) in 2004, making her on-court debut in 2005 against Barbados. She also played in the New Zealand U21 netball team that won gold at the 2005 World Youth Netball Championships in Florida. During her career she has won gold medals at the 2006 and 2010 Commonwealth Games and the 2009 World Netball Series, and silver medals at the 2007 and 2011 World Netball Championships.[1] In 2008, she co-captained the team with Laura Langman, stepping into the role of acting captain later that year following an injury to Julie Seymour. In July 2009, Kopua became the 23rd captain of the Silver Ferns, taking over from Seymour who retired from the game.[2][3]

Williams, with Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic, in the 2010 ANZ Championship grand final

In domestic netball, Kopua played her entire career with the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic, starting in 2003. During the 2008 ANZ Championship season, she was named the Holden Captiva player of the championship, winning a new car.

In the 2011 Queen's Birthday Honours, Kopua was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, alongside former Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken, for services to netball in New Zealand.[4]

On 11 October 2014, Kopua became the most capped New Zealand netball captain in history, playing her 63rd test as captain of the team in the 3rd test of the 2014 Constellation Cup against Australia.[5] In the fourth quarter of that match, Kopua suffered a suspected dislocated patella (knee injury). Scans later revealed that Kopua also ruptured her patella tendon.[6] Three days later Kopua underwent surgery to repair her patella tendon.[7]

In 2017, still rehabing from her surgery, Kopua announced her retirement from the Silver Ferns, stating she would return to the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic in 2018, but would not be available for international selection.[8] Kopua was coaxed back to the national team by Noeline Taurua for the 2019 Netball World Cup.[9] She retired from netball after the World Cup.

Personal life

In December 2012, Kopua married Hamilton lawyer Terry Kopua.[10] On 21 May 2016, the couple announced the birth of their daughter. They had a second child, a boy, in 2020,[11] and another son on Christmas Eve 2021.[citation needed]

References

  1. [1]
    "2011 Silver Ferns profile: Casey Williams". 13 June 2011. Retrieved 13 June 2011.
  2. [2]
    Netball New Zealand (29 July 2009). "Silver Fern captain and squads announced".
  3. [3]
    "Williams named Silver Ferns captain". The New Zealand Herald. 27 July 2009. Retrieved 26 September 2009.
  4. [4]
    Johannsen, Dana (6 June 2011). "Honours for Ferns' coach and captain". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
  5. [5]
    "Kopua To Be Most Capped NZ Netball Captain in History". Netball New Zealand. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  6. [6]
    "Kopua Ruled Out With Patella Tendon Injury". Netball New Zealand. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  7. [7]
    "Kopua out for six months". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  8. [8]
    Kopua calls time on Silver Ferns
  9. [9]
    This World Cup’s for you, Casey Kopua
  10. [10]
    "Change of name, but goal is the same". Stuff.co.nz. 19 January 2013. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  11. [11]
    "Former Silver Ferns captain Casey Kopua announces the arrival of second child". Stuff. 1 May 2020.
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