Net gains: Darius earns his place on tournament courts

Darius Henare-Vaihu, a Year 11 student at Avondale College, is quickly making a name for himself in the world of men’s netball.

Already named Most Valuable Player for his club two years in a row, Darius is now preparing to compete in the Under-20 division at the NZMMNA New Zealand Men’s Nationals in Napier - an opportunity that marks another major milestone in his fast-growing career.

His netball journey has also taken him to Dunedin, Christchurch, Taupō, and Northland - many of which were places he’d never visited before.

It all began in intermediate school, when his sister and mum encouraged him to give netball a try. Initially hesitant, believing it was “more of a girls’ sport,” Darius quickly discovered a passion for the game that rivaled his early interest in rugby.

Now co-captain of his team, Darius trains regularly - often late into the night - balancing his commitment to sport with schoolwork. He primarily plays Goal Defence, drawn to the thrill of intercepting passes and leaping for the ball. “I enjoy jumping and defending. I prefer it over shooting,” he says. His strategic mindset focuses on reading the game and creating space for passes, a skill sharpened under the guidance of his coach, Pili Apulu. "Pili pushes us hard and encourages us to join rep teams to grow our skills. We’re training more often now - games, training games, everything.”

Through netball, Darius has learned valuable lessons, including the importance of humility. “One game, I headed in over-confident. We played Australia and we'd never encountered that style of play before - they were up by 20. Don’t talk too soon!”

He draws inspiration from role models like his cousin Hikoi Paki and Nathan Wilson, the son of his Waitākere Under 20s coach, who plays basketball in the United States. “Nate comes back and makes netball look so easy,” Darius says. "He shows you how to use basketball techniques in netball and this has enticed many boys into joining the sport."

In Darius's view, netball is technically more challenging than basketball. In netball, you only have three seconds to pass the ball, where as basketball, you have up to 24 seconds, and you're not able to move with the ball, you have to pass.

Despite the demands of training and study, Darius remains focused and driven. He prepares for games by stretching and talking with his coach, and credits his parents for keeping him motivated.