Temepara Bailey facts for kids
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Bailey in 2024
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Temepara Anne Bailey (née George) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 23 October 1975 Auckland, New Zealand |
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| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Netball career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position(s): C, WA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Club team(s) | Apps | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998 | Auckland Diamonds | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999 | Counties Manukau Cometz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2007 | Northern Force | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2012 | Northern Mystics | 55 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019 | Northern Stars | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | National team(s) | Caps | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1996 | New Zealand U21 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–2011 | New Zealand | 89 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Temepara Anne Bailey is a famous New Zealand netball player. She was born on October 23, 1975, in Auckland. Her family background includes Samoan and Māori heritage.
Temepara was a key player for the Silver Ferns, New Zealand's national netball team. She played for them from 1996, and then again from 2000 to 2011. She also captained the Northern Mystics in the ANZ Championship. After a great career, she retired from netball in 2012. In 2019, she made a comeback to play for the Northern Stars.
Contents
Becoming a Netball Star
Temepara George, as she was known then, showed great talent in netball from a young age. She was chosen for the Silver Ferns team in 1996. The next year, she took a break when her second child was born. She then continued to train with the New Zealand A team.
Playing for Club Teams
In 1998, Temepara joined the Auckland Diamonds for the first year of the Coca-Cola Cup league. In 1999, she moved to another team in Auckland, the Counties Manukau Cometz. In 2000, she changed teams again, joining the Northern Force. She played for them until the competition ended in 2007.
Silver Ferns Debut and Big Wins
Temepara was selected for the Silver Ferns again in 2000. She played her first game against the Australian team that same year. Over the next few years, she became a very important player in the Silver Ferns' midcourt.
Winning the World Netball Championships
In 2003, Temepara was part of the team for the 2003 World Netball Championships in Jamaica. New Zealand reached the final and played against Australia. The Silver Ferns won the game 49–47, becoming world champions! Temepara also won an award for her amazing performance. Three years later, she won another gold medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
Taking a Break and a New Chapter
In 2007, Temepara George decided to take a break from international netball. She moved to Queensland, Australia, to live with her partner at the time. Many people thought her absence would make it harder for the Silver Ferns to win the 2007 World Netball Championships. New Zealand finished second, with Australia winning the title.
Returning to New Zealand Netball
A new netball competition, the ANZ Championship, started in 2008. Temepara thought about playing for an Australian team. But she decided to return to New Zealand and joined the Northern Mystics team in Auckland.
Beyond the Court
In 2008, Temepara also appeared on the New Zealand TV show Dancing with the Stars. She and her dance partner won the competition! In 2009, she was on a travel show called Intrepid Journeys, where she visited places like Darjeeling and Sikkim.
Back with the Silver Ferns
In 2009, Temepara George announced she was ready to play for the national team again. She planned to play for the Silver Ferns until at least the 2011 World Netball Championships.
More Gold Medals
She was chosen for the first-ever World Netball Series in Manchester. The Silver Ferns won this tournament, beating Jamaica in the final. The next year, Temepara went to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. The Silver Ferns won another gold medal after an exciting game against Australia, with a score of 66–64.
Final World Championships
An injury kept her out of some games in early 2011. But she recovered in time for the 2011 ANZ Championship season. Her team, the Mystics, had their best season ever, finishing as runners-up. Temepara was then called back to the Silver Ferns for the 2011 World Championships in Singapore. The Silver Ferns played Australia in the final, and it was a very close game. New Zealand lost by just one goal, 58–57, in overtime.
Retiring from International Play
After the 2011 World Championships, Temepara George retired from international netball. She was 35 years old and had played 89 test matches for the Silver Ferns. She continued to captain the Northern Mystics for one more season.
In 2012, Temepara was honored for her contributions to netball. She was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
