SKY SPORT TALL FERNS ENTER CAMP WITH SELECTION FOR ASIA CUP SQUAD UP FOR GRABS

Sky Sport Tall Ferns hopefuls will convene in Gold Coast this weekend for a Selection Camp ahead of September’s 2021 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup.

The four-day intensive training camp will be the first activity for the Tall Ferns programme since the ultimately heart-breaking Olympic qualifiers held in Auckland at the end of 2019.

Head Coach Guy Molloy is excited to get back to business, saying “It’s been a long time between layups! My coaching staff and I are really excited to bring sixteen of our top athletes back together and start working hard for the black jersey again.”

As has become customary throughout Molloy’s tenure, the camp will be a family affair, with a new addition welcomed into camp. Micaela Cocks returns to action after the birth of her daughter Hazel in November 2020.

“Player wellbeing is a priority, and we try our best to accommodate family if it’s possible. The camps are a great place for that, and the family atmosphere is a big part of the Tall Ferns. Kids make camp that much more fun too – they add to it. We’re looking forward to meeting young Hazel and welcoming her into the Tall Ferns culture. With Ash Karaitiana’s daughter Kalea becoming a veteran of the programme now, she’ll have to take the lead in showing the newest recruit how we do things!” Molloy grinned.

Unavailable to attend camp is long time servant Natalie Taylor. The former Tall Ferns captain is expecting her third child. Molloy thinks it’s a great chance for new leaders to step up in her absence, “We’ve got a great mix of experience and youth in this group. It’s a really exciting time for the Sky Sport Tall Ferns and it’s not going to be an easy task selecting a squad for the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup.”

The camp runs from the 11-15 March and will be held in Gold Coast due to the number of eligible players based in Australia and the current restrictions around entry into New Zealand.

The attendees to the 2021 Tall Fern Pre- Asia Cup Selection Camp are: