Resurgent Kersten making her mark with Pulse

May 12, 2017

Resurgent Kersten making her mark with Pulse

Midcourter Claire Kersten has wasted little time in establishing herself as the unsung hero of Te Wānanga o Raukawa Pulse’s potent defence line during the ANZ Premiership netball competition.

First making the Pulse team in 2013, Kersten has largely been used off the bench during a frustrating career but the dynamic bundle of energy has made up for lost time with a powerful response in 2017.

Now a regular starter, Kersten’s influence from the workhorse wing defence position has helped shape the Pulse defence line into one of the best in the league.

``I’ve been in the Pulse environment for a few years now but I’ve never had that really consistent, regular court time, so this year it’s been really nice to have that change. And that does big things for your confidence,’’ Kersten said.

``No one wants to be sitting on the bench. When I first made the Pulse, I was pretty stoked to be there but as time goes on you want to be out on court, that’s what you do all the training for.

`It is challenging to be in that position and that’s part of my satisfaction from this year, that I’ve stuck around and got the reward of some regular court time.’’

At 27, Kersten, who was a member of the New Zealand under-21 team that won silver at the World Youth Championships in 2009, could have felt she was running out of time to have a real crack at the elite level.

That has all changed with her impressive work during the current campaign of harassing, limiting and controlling opponents with tireless and effective energy. It has caught the attention of many, not least her captain Katrina Grant, whose admiration was reflected when describing her affectionately as a ``beast’’.

Statistically, Kersten is tracking highly in the wing defence stakes and at this stage building a strong case for higher honours.

``Claire is just a hard-working, athletic wing defence that goes under the radar. I’d hate to be a wing attack that plays against her because she is just so tight on that man and then can hunt for ball as well at the same time,’’ Grant said.

``She’s just someone who never gives up on any situation. Claire’s had to sit on the bench for a few years and it’s like she’s been let out of a box, she’s just nailing it and playing amazing netball. She certainly makes Phoenix (Karaka) and I look better than probably what we are.

``A goalkeeper and goal defence find when they’ve got a great wing defence, it just makes their game so much easier and you can always tell whether you’ve got a good or not so great wing defence and when you’ve got a good one you want to hold on to them, put them in your pocket and take them with you everywhere, and that’s Claire.’’

Revelling in her work, the understated Kersten is looking no further ahead than Monday night’s rematch with the Tactix in Christchurch, mindful of the Pulse’s need for more consistency and a strong showing from their opponents last week against the top-ranked Steel.

``I think we’re learning each game and showing progress each game but on a personal and team level, there’s still more that you want to give from week to week,’’ she said.

``Tactix have had a tough season so far but that’s almost when teams can be at their most dangerous because you don’t know what they’re going to put out there. Their last game against the Steel, they definitely proved some of the things that they have the ability to do well, so we can’t take them lightly and we won’t be.’’

ENDS.

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