Mason Cleared Of Major Injury
Mason fell heavily during the Pulse's ANZ Premiership match against the Stars in Wellington on July 5 and has undergone scans and assessment which have cleared her of any bone, disc or main ligament injury, and her neck is stable.
Following a period in a brace, Mason will have further tests to determine her return to play procedures.
The lively and energetic young defender is now focussed on looking after herself and getting back to full health.
``Me and my family are very relieved that I've been cleared from any major damages,'' she said. ``We are very grateful for the kindness, urgency and overall care from all medical staff involved.
``To everyone who has sent positive thoughts and messages, I've seen all your lovely words, and I truly thank you for the support.
``Although my time in the yellow dress is momentarily on pause, I'm excited to cheer loud and proud for my amazing team-mates and stay connected with them while I focus on my own recovery journey.''
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RNZ News
2 days ago
- RNZ News
The battle to get netball on TV: How did it come to this?
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Otago Daily Times
2 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Balancing medical school, sporting career ‘challenging'
Second-year medical student Emma Mason sits outside the Otago Medical School, in Dunedin. PHOTO: GERARD O'BRIEN If you have ever wondered what happens when two very time-consuming passions collide and vie for every spare minute of your life, Emma Mason has the answer. Reporter John Lewis talks to one of New Zealand's top volleyballers, who is juggling the high performance sport with study for a medical degree at the University of Otago. Time is precious — especially for Emma Mason. The 19-year-old represents New Zealand in volleyball while studying medicine at the University of Otago. So if she has any spare time, it is undoubtedly spent sleeping. "Balancing medical school with volleyball can be challenging — especially when tests or assignments are coming up," she said. Last year, she represented New Zealand twice in age-group competitions — once in under-19 beach volleyball, and once in under-20 indoor volleyball. This year, she leapt at an "incredible opportunity" to compete at the open women's level in Vietnam, with the Volley Ferns. "Stepping on to the court wearing the New Zealand jersey is an indescribable feeling, and truly one of the greatest privileges. "It's surreal to think back to year 10, when my school coach asked if I wanted to represent New Zealand. "I said, 'Of course, but that seems unrealistic'. "At the time, I doubted it, but that conversation lit a spark in me — it made me believe that maybe it really was possible." Training during the university year involves going to the gym four to six mornings a week, and training with her Dunedin volleyball club team two to three evenings a week. Her Volley Ferns commitments mean she has to attend weekend training camps in Auckland, every two months. And since it is club season at the moment, she has three weekend tournaments coming up in Christchurch over the next few months. "My med school classes usually run from 9am-6pm, and I schedule training sessions around that. "Sleep is a big priority for me. I aim for at least eight hours a night because I know everything starts to fall apart without it. "Things get more complicated when there are trips or tournaments, as medical school requires satisfactory attendance, and there's only a limited number of labs and tutorials you can miss and still pass. "For my recent trip to Vietnam, I was fortunate to be granted time off, but now that my attendance is near the limit, I haven't been able to commit to any further trips for the rest of the year." New Zealand Volley Ferns player Mason prepares to serve on court at the recent Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Women's Volleyball Nations Cup tournament, in Vietnam. PHOTO: AVC Miss Mason said she had always been fascinated by the complexity of the human body, and she was drawn to medicine because of the "endless opportunities" it offered. "It's a constantly evolving field where you never stop learning and developing." It was the same for volleyball. "What I love most is that there's always something new to learn and improve on, and doing it alongside such a supportive, like-minded team makes it even more rewarding. "Before I started playing, I never imagined that you could look forward to a sports training, but volleyball changed that for me. "What keeps me motivated is the drive to improve every day — whether that's in my sport, academically or personally. "I feel incredibly fortunate for the opportunities and support I've received over the years, so I want to make the most of them and make the people who've helped me proud. "And on a lighter note, my flatmate counts on me for a ride to the gym in the mornings, which definitely helps me get out of bed on those extra cold days."
1News
4 days ago
- 1News
TVNZ to show netball's ANZ Premiership in 2026
Netball fans across the country can look forward to a thrilling return to the court in 2026 with the domestic ANZ Premiership competition to be shown exclusively on TVNZ platforms. Beginning in April, the 2026 season will feature 30 round robin matches played over 12 weeks by six domestic teams, followed by two finals matches. Games will air on weekends, including new rule innovations such as the captain's timeout and two-point shot continuing. In an announcement today, Netball New Zealand and TVNZ revealed the new partnership would bring the domestic netball season to screens nationwide via TVNZ 2 and TVNZ+. Building on the match-of-the-week offering this year, the expanded broadcast would offer TVNZ's expert commentary, in-depth analysis, and exclusive courtside access a key feature of the expanded partnership. ADVERTISEMENT Beginning in April, the 2026 season will feature 30 round robin matches played over 12 weeks. (Source: 1News) TVNZ chief executive Jodi O'Donnell told 1News the deal marked a major step for live and free sport with hopes for a long-term partnership. "It's been really great that TVNZ has been able to work with Netball New Zealand over the last two years with having a match of the week, and I think that's been really good to showcase the power of free-to-air." Asked whether TVNZ had paid for the rights to the netball, O'Donnell said that information was "commercially sensitive" but emphasised the strong audience response. "We've had over half a million New Zealanders watching our netball games already this year so I think, from an audience perspective, I say New Zealand audiences are in for a treat." Netball NZ chief executive Jennie Wyllie welcomed the return of netball to free-to-air television, describing it as a "fantastic outcome" for fans. "Following a season where we've seen, strong broadcast numbers, fantastic match attendances and unprecedented global viewership, it's exciting to now have the opportunity for even more New Zealanders to enjoy the game on TVNZ 2 and TVNZ+. ADVERTISEMENT "Netball is played and loved by hundreds of thousands across Aotearoa, and this move will help bring the sport closer to communities nationwide." TVNZ head of sports, events and partnerships Melodie Robinson said netball was one of the country's most popular codes and the broadcaster was "excited" to have the rights to the national domestic competition. "Our netballers are at the top of their game, they're powerful wāhine toa, and we're thrilled to be connecting tamariki with the heroes who inspire them, bringing the excitement straight into their homes each weekend."
