Anna Harrison (netball)

Anna Maree Harrison MNZM (née Scarlett; born 15 April 1983 in Westport, New Zealand)[1] is a New Zealand netball and beach volleyball player. She stands at 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in). In netball Harrison plays as goal-keep, goal-defence and/or wing-defence.

Anna Harrison
MNZM
Harrison in 2023
Personal information
Full name Anna Maree Harrison (née Scarlett)
Born (1983-04-15) 15 April 1983
Westport, New Zealand
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Netball career
Playing position(s): GK, GD, WD
Years Club team(s) Apps
2011 Northern Mystics 15
Years National team(s) Caps
2002–2018 New Zealand 53
Medal record
Representing  New Zealand
World Netball Championships
Gold medal – first place2003 KingstonNetball
Silver medal – second place2011 SingaporeNetball
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place2006 MelbourneNetball
Gold medal – first place2010 DelhiNetball
World Netball Series
Gold medal – first place2012 AucklandFast5
Silver medal – second place2011 LiverpoolFastnet

Anna Maree used to play netball and basketball in winter and played beach and indoor volleyball during summer when she was in a boarding high school.[2] She was raised in Karamea on the South Island's west coast and in 2002 joined the New Zealand national netball team, the Silver Ferns, travelling to the Commonwealth Games with the team as a training player.[1] She went on to earn 39 caps in the Silver Ferns by the end of 2006.[3] but was not selected for the 2007 World Netball Championships squad, subsequently retiring from netball to focus on beach volleyball,[3] partnering with Susan Blundell.[4]

After several years on the international beach volleyball circuit, Harrison left the sport in 2010 and announced her intention to return to netball.[5] She signed with the Northern Mystics for the 2011 ANZ Championship season,[5] and also regained her place in the Silver Ferns lineup for 2010.[6] She made the team for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, where she was used in the Wing Defence position throughout the pool games. She was not named in the starting line-up for the final, but was injected into the game at half time, in the unfamiliar WD position,[7] and helped to turn around the deficit and win the gold medal.[8]

During the 2012 ANZ Championship season, Anna was married to sports scientist Craig Harrison.[9] She made the Silver Ferns again in 2012, and was used mainly in WD, to cover the loss of Joline Henry.[10]

In the 2012 ANZ Championship season, Harrison was lifted up by her teammate in order to successfully block a shot above the rim, during the round 8 match against the Melbourne Vixens. It was pulled off two more times in the game. The controversial move was dubbed the 'Harrison Hoist' by the media, and attracted a massive response from fans and casual netball followers, many believing the move should be banned. She has performed this move several times since, including on the international scene.[11]

In February 2013, Harrison announced that she was three months pregnant and did not take part in the 2013 ANZ Championship.[12]

On 1 September 2013, Anna gave birth to her and Craig's first child, a son, Isaac and in 2015 gave birth to a daughter, Georgia.[13]

Harrison announced her retirement in 2018.[14] Harrison came out of retirement to play for Northern Stars in the 2021 ANZ Premiership season.[15]

In the 2023 New Year Honours, Harrison was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to netball and volleyball.[16]

References
  1. "Get to Know the Silver Ferns". nzgirl. Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  2. "Q&A with Silver Fern Anna Scarlett". Netball New Zealand. 27 March 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  3. "Scarlett retires from netball". Stuff.co.nz. 18 February 2009. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  4. "Beach duo headed for great heights". The New Zealand Herald. 24 October 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  5. "Anna Scarlett signs with Northern Mystics". Stuff.co.nz. 3 August 2010. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  6. "Scarlett stoked to be back in black". TVNZ. 4 August 2010. Archived from the original on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
  7. Burgess, Michael (4 November 2012). "Netball: New impact, same old story". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  8. "Anna Harrison retires from Silver Ferns". Stuff.co.nz. 1 June 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  9. "Mystics get one over Fever". ANZ Championship website. 16 April 2012. Archived from the original on 18 July 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  10. Napier, Liam (19 September 2012). "Silver Ferns defender Anna Harrison a handful". Stuff.co.nz. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  11. "Netball: Harrison's hoist has been coming". The New Zealand Herald. 21 May 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  12. Partland, Warren (12 February 2013). "Baby first for Northern Mystics star Anna Harrison". The Advertiser. Retrieved 22 January 2019 – via news.com.au.
  13. "Anna Harrison's darling little battler". Woman's Day. 3 August 2015.
  14. "Audacious Anna Harrison leaves her mark on netball". Radio New Zealand. 2 August 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
  15. Tunnicliffe, Bridget (3 July 2021). "One last shot for Anna Harrison?". Radio New Zealand.
  16. "New Year honours list 2023". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2022. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
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