The T-Bags charity netball squad has won gold at the World Masters Games in Auckland. The NZ 40 plus team took to the court in honour of their friend and former Silver Fern, Tania Dalton, who passed away this year. Now they are donating all their winning proceeds to the Tania Dalton Foundation.
Tania Dalton's favourite tunes filled the packed Auckland Netball Centre as the crowd rejoiced T-Bag's golden victory.
Former Silver Fern, Kiri Wills says, "It was a tough week on the body and we think we're 20 but we're definitely 40+ so it's been hard on the body but a great week and a great event masters I'd encourage anyone to do it."
Tania's children and widowed husband Duane watched from the sideline as the T-Bags defeated Gosford Gems by a whopping 42 points. A game she was expected to play in.
Wills says, "I think she would be proud of the way we've conducted ourselves this week, we've tried to have a bit of fun and we've tried to do as many lay-ups as we could for Tarns cause that was her specialty and yeah it's just really heartwarming to reconnect and it's made us really value our friendships."
Named respectfully after their friend who passed away suddenly last month of a brain aneurysm, Kiri says the team is overwhelmed by the attention they have drawn to the Tania Dalton Foundation set up by Duane to help young girls pursue their sporting dreams.
"I was saying to my kids' sport is where you meet all your friends like we are here and it's really important that every kiwi kid gets that opportunity and I think the Tania Dalton Foundation is a step in the right direction for kids who may not be as privileged as others."
This won't be the last of Team T-Bag who are already planning a second World Masters Games to continue Tania's work.