In 2011 Ameliranne Ekenasio (née Wells) made her debut in the ANZ Championship for the Queensland Firebirds fresh out of her teenage years.
Thirteen years later against the MG Mystics last weekend, the AVIS Magic captain played her 100th national league match in the Te Ahi-o-Mahuika dress.
“I actually tried to down play my 100th” says Ekenasio (32), acknowledging that some players in the next netball generation will most likely go onto play over 200 games.
“But actually, I’ve realised that not everyone gets to play one game let alone one hundred. So, it’s pretty special to reach 100.”
Magic fans may have thought that 100 matches for the star shooter would have come up sooner, but in a poignant Instagram post acknowledging her 100th match, Ekenasio shared that people often look past the journey to the milestone.
The years on the bench, the seasons pregnant growing her beautiful children and then the seasons coming back from having children, have been all part of Ekenasio’s road to 100.
“There are so many times when I should or could have walked away.”
The huge highs and massive lows of being an athlete are part of the story says Ekenasio.
It’s been the struggle through the disappointments that’s created a hunger and huge work ethic in Ekenasio who admits she’s constantly looking to uplift her game.
“When you’re trying to get better, and then you actually see it come to fruition, it’s like oh my gosh I have to keep going.”
Born in Bundaberg, Australia, Ekenasio played 13 matches for the Queensland Firebirds from 2011-2014 before taking an opportunity to come to New Zealand to play for the Central Pulse where she was based from 2015-2020.
She was not deemed to be an import player in the then trans-Tasman competition because her father, Anthony was born in New Zealand (Ngāti Kahu and Ngāpuhi).
Looking back, she laughs in her debut year when the Firebirds went undefeated and won the title, her Dad looked at the odds on the team to win at the start of the season.
“He was so filthy at me for years because I didn’t let him put a bet on our team and the odds were amazing,” laughs Ekenasio.
In those early days at the Firebirds, Ekenasio also remembers her late Mum, Denese being in the crowd and being so immensely proud of her daughter.
“Anytime I got out on court, which wasn’t often in the early days, I could hear her. No matter what I did she thought I was so great.”
Sadly, Ekenasio’s Mother passed away in 2015 and Ekenasio says that she wishes her beloved Mum could see her now but says “I know she’s watching me from where she is now.”
Winning two ANZ Premiership titles with the Central Pulse in 2019 and 2020 as well as being part of the world championship winning Silver Ferns team in 2019 are part of the many highlights of her illustrious career to date.
Mum now to Ocean (5) and Luna (1), alongside husband Damien, the effervescent Ekenasio has juggled parenthood and netball with the support of their village.
In the crowd for her 100th match was her family who travelled from their home in Wellington to acknowledge Ekenasio’s achievement.
“Having them there reminds me that I have had two kids and that’s all part of the journey that I am still here. It’s very special to me.”
“It has added to the challenges along the way having the kids but I feel blessed to have done both in my time.”
After a century of matches with major life events and challenges thrown into the mix Ekenasio says that a huge part of what’s kept her in the game has been quite simply because she loves netball.
“I love competing. I being out there, I love winning and always wanting more.”
Congratulations to our AVIS Magic Captain Meels and her whanau on her 100th national league match.
