Frew humbled by stadium renaming
MOST of us get stuck with an annoying nickname sooner or later.
Slim Shady.
Fred the Needle.
Big Bird.
Johnny the Lips.
But not Wendy Frew — she gets a whole stadium named after her.
The veteran Steel midcourter will lead her team out on to her home court for the last time next Wednesday for the ANZ Premiership elimination final.
She will get to do that at the Wendy Frew Stadium. Has a nice ring to it, right?
Stadium Southland has been renamed as a tribute to her efforts during an unrivalled 16 seasons with the Steel and its predecessor, the Southern Sting.
Frew has played a combined 174 games for the Steel and the Sting but all good things must come to an end.
Last month she announced she will retire at the end of the season.
Stadium Southland general manager Nigel Skelt said it felt right to honour Frew in this way.
‘‘This is Wendy’s home and she’s played all of her netball here since day one,’’ he said.
‘‘She’s been a fantastic role model, not just for netball but sport in general across the province and New Zealand, so we think this is an incredibly fitting tribute for the dedication, work and loyalty she’s always shown our community.’’
Frew said she was humbled by the gesture.
‘‘How do you actually put into words what a tribute like this means? It’s very humbling,’’ she said. For me, it is and always has been about the team — that doesn’t change going into this game.
‘‘I’m just absolutely stoked to be taking the court with my teammates and plan to just embrace it all.’’
Skelt expected ‘‘an incredible amount of emotion’’ as the netball community farewelled Frew as a player.
‘‘We know this is just the end of one chapter in her sporting journey. She is an extended part of our stadium family and we’re excited to see what the future holds for her.’’
Depending on the outcome of the final roundrobin game tonight, the Steel will play either the Mystics or the Tactix in the elimination final. A win will mean the Steel will progress to the final in which it will meet the Pulse in Palmerston North on August 12.
The Steel won the title last season.