Steel import excited about 2020 challenge
Trinidad and Tobago international Kalifa McCollin is not daunted at the prospect of replacing Silver Ferns shooter Te Paea Selby-Rickit at the Southern Steel.
“Southern Steel is a top team and you don’t want to come in, with everyone expecting so much, and not give it,” McCollin said.
“I work well under pressure and I’ve been playing international netball since I was 17 years old. I’ll bring a new style, so it will be exciting for people.”
McCollin played for Trinidad and Tobago at the 2013 Netball World Youth Cup, before stepping up to the senior ranks with the Calypso Girls at the 2015 and 2019 Netball World Cups.
Photo: Southern Steel recruit Kalifa McCollin. Pic: Nathan Burdon
“I’m really excited to play against some of the girls who are Silver Ferns. At the last two World Cups Trinidad hasn’t played against the Ferns, so matching up against their defenders will be good for me. I do enjoy a challenge. The brand of netball here is quite physical, and I love that.”
Steel’s scoring end will be a talking point in 2020 after the departure of Selby-Rickit to the Tactix and South African international Lenize Potgeiter to Australia.
McCollin and Jen O’Connell will look to forge a new combination, beginning with the Super Club tournament in Nelson starting December 8.
Rookie Georgia Heffernan is the other shooter in the squad.
McCollin, who has previously played professionally for the Welsh-based Celtic Dragons in the UK Super League, said her first fortnight in the south had been a good experience.
“It’s been really great. The girls have been pretty welcoming, so I didn’t have that awkward feeling about what to do and who to talk to. The biggest adjustment for me has been training three times a day, every day, but you have to put the hard work in to get results.
“I knew it was going to be a new environment, but I was looking forward to the challenge. Over the years, coming up as a youngster, I always said I wanted to come to New Zealand and play, because I like their style of netball, and I’m here now.”
McCollin comes from a netball-loving family and first started playing the game at 6-years-old. She’s hoping her parents will be able to visit New Zealand and watch her play in the ANZ Premiership next season.
McCollin is studying sports psychology, but is also interested in building on the level 2 coaching qualifications she attained while in the United Kingdom.
Playing in front of the Southern Steel’s famous home crowd is something McCollin is looking forward to.
“I’ve asked the girls what the stadium is like during game time and they’ve said we have the best supporters, so I’m really excited for my first home match and hearing the crowd go off. Hopefully my parents will come over because my mum would love that, she’s quite a noisy one and she loves netball.”
