Central Pulse are a New Zealand netball team based in

Wellington Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...

. Between

2008 2008 was designated as: *International Year of Languages *International Year of Planet Earth *International Year of the Potato *International Year of Sanitation The Great Recession, a worldwide recession which began in 2007, continued throu ...

and

2016 2016 was designated as: * International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly. * International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...

, they played in the

ANZ Championship The ANZ Championship, also known as the Trans-Tasman Netball League, is a former netball league featuring teams from both Australia and New Zealand. Between 2008 and 2016, it was the top-level league in both countries. The competition was owned ...

. Since

2017 2017 was designated as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations General Assembly. Events January * January 1 – Istanbul nightclub shooting: A gunman dressed as Santa Claus opens fire at the ...

they have represented Netball Central in the

ANZ Premiership The ANZ Premiership is the top level netball league featuring teams from New Zealand. In 2017 it replaced the ANZ Championship, which also included teams from Australia, as the top level netball league in New Zealand. It is organised by Netbal ...

. Netball Central is the governing body that represents the

Hawke's Bay Hawke's Bay () is a region on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. The region is named for Hawke Bay, which was named in honour of Edward Hawke. The region's main centres are the cities of Napier and Hastings, while the more rural ...

, Manawatū-Whanganui,

Taranaki Taranaki is a regions of New Zealand, region in the west of New Zealand's North Island. It is named after its main geographical feature, the stratovolcano Mount Taranaki, Taranaki Maunga, formerly known as Mount Egmont. The main centre is the ...

and

Wellington Region Greater Wellington, also known as the Wellington Region (Māori language, Māori: ''Te Upoko o te Ika''), is the southernmost regions of New Zealand, region of the North Island of New Zealand. The local government region covers an area of , and ...

s. Pulse were

2019 This was the year in which the first known human case of COVID-19 was documented, preceding COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic which was declared by the World Health Organization the following year. Up to that point, 2019 had been described as ...

2020 The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...

and 2022 ANZ Premiership winners. They also won the 2018 Netball New Zealand Super Club tournament.

History

Formation

Central Pulse were formed in

2007 2007 was designated as the International Heliophysical Year and the International Polar Year. Events January * January 1 **Bulgaria and Romania 2007 enlargement of the European Union, join the European Union, while Slovenia joins the Eur ...

. The new team was effectively a merger of two former

National Bank Cup The National Bank Cup, originally known as the Coca-Cola Cup, was the top level national Netball in New Zealand, New Zealand netball league between 1998 in New Zealand, 1998 and 2007 in New Zealand, 2007. The league was organised by Netball Ne ...

teams, Capital Shakers and Western Flyers. Pulse subsequently became founder members of the

. The former

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

head coach, Jill McIntosh was appointed director of coaching,

Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...

head coach, Kate Carpenter, was appointed head coach and

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

international, Sonia Mkoloma, became the team's first player.

ANZ Championship

Between

and

, Central Pulse played in the

. On 5 April 2008, Pulse hosted the very first ANZ Championship match at the

TSB Bank Arena The TSB Arena (formerly known as the Queens Wharf Events Centre and then TSB Bank Arena) is an indoor arena in Wellington that hosts basketball games, roller derby, music concerts, conventions and exhibitions. History In the 1990s Lambton Harb ...

, losing 33–50 to

Melbourne Vixens Melbourne Vixens is an netball in Australia, Australian professional netball team based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Victoria. Since 2017 Suncorp Super Netball season, 2017 they have represented Netball Victoria in Suncorp Super Netball. B ...

. During the early ANZ Championship era, Pulse struggled to establish themselves both on and off the court. In 2008, Pulse suffered a

winless season A winless season is a regular season in which a sports team fails to win any of its games. The antithesis of a perfect season, winless seasons have been suffered twelve times in professional American football, six times in arena football, three tim ...

. The only point they gained was by default. In their Round 10 match against

West Coast Fever West Coast Fever is a professional Australian netball team based in Perth, Western Australia. Since 2017 they have played in Suncorp Super Netball. Between 2008 and 2016, they competed in the ANZ Championship. Between 1997 and 2007, as Pert ...

, a leaky roof at

Challenge Stadium Perth High Performance Centre (Perth HPC) is a sports complex in Perth, Western Australia. The venue is located in the suburb of Mount Claremont, approximately west of Perth's central business district. Venue facilities include an Olympic-sta ...

saw the match called off and declared a draw. Each team received one point. Carpenter was subsequently replaced as head coach by

Yvette McCausland-Durie Yvette McCausland-Durie is a netball in New Zealand, New Zealand netball coach and former netball player. As a player, she played for Western Flyers during the National Bank Cup era and represented New Zealand national netball team, New Zealand ...

. Meanwhile, off the court, Pulse lost their main sponsor after just one season and needed financial bailouts from both

Netball New Zealand Netball New Zealand is the national body which oversees, promotes and manages netball in New Zealand, including the Silver Ferns. In 2019, 137,713 players were registered with Netball New Zealand, the governing body for organised netball in th ...

and the league itself. Ahead of the

2009 2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...

season, Pulse found themselves fined for missing the deadline to announce their squad. There was also speculation that Netball New Zealand wanted to use the franchise as a development team for

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

under-21 players. After 24 games, Pulse eventually won their first ever match when they defeated

New South Wales Swifts New South Wales Swifts are an Australian professional netball team based in Sydney, New South Wales. Since 2017 they have represented Netball New South Wales in Suncorp Super Netball. Between 2008 and 2016, they played in the ANZ Championship. ...

53–52 in a 2009 Round 13 match at the Te Rauparaha Arena. Pulse enjoyed their best season during the ANZ Championship era in

2013 2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years). 2013 was designated as: *International Year of Water Cooperation *International Year of Quinoa Events January * January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...

, when with a team coached by Robyn Broughton, captained by

Katrina Grant Katrina Rore (née Grant; born 6 May 1987 in Papakura, Auckland, New Zealand) is a New Zealand international netball player. Rore is a previous captain of the New Zealand national netball team, the Silver Ferns, and plays for the Central Pulse i ...

and featuring

Joline Henry Joline Henry (born 29 September 1982 in Whanganui, New Zealand) is a New Zealand former netball player. Henry was a member of the New Zealand national netball team, the Silver Ferns, and has played for the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic (2008–20 ...

Caitlin Thwaites Caitlin Thwaites (born 29 December 1986) is a former Australian netball player and volleyballer. Career Caitlin Thwaites was born in Bendigo, Australia. Thwaites began her career at for the Melbourne Kestrels of the Commonwealth Bank Trophy a ...

and Donna Wilkins, they won eight matches and finished fifth. ;Regular season statistics

ANZ Premiership

Since

, Pulse have played in the

. During the early ANZ Premiership era, they emerged as one of the leagues strongest teams. Between 2017 and

, with a team coached by

, captained by

and featuring, among others, Karin Burger, Ameliaranne Ekenasio and

Claire Kersten Claire Kersten (born 9 July 1989) is a New Zealand netball player who plays in the ANZ Premiership, playing for the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic. Claire can play WD and C. In 2013, she made her ANZ Championship debut for the Central Pulse ...

, Pulse played in four successive grand finals. Between

2018 Events January * January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency. * January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...

and

they won three successive minor premierships. Pulse were the

and 2020 overall champions. They also won the 2018 Netball New Zealand Super Club tournament. ;Regular season statistics

Grand finals

;

; Netball New Zealand Super Club

Home venues

Pulse's main venue is

. They have also regularly played home matches at

Porirua Porirua, () a list of cities in New Zealand, city in the Wellington Region of the North Island of New Zealand, is one of the four cities that constitute the Wellington#Wellington metropolitan area, Wellington metropolitan area. The name 'Poriru ...

's Te Rauparaha Arena and at the Fly Palmy Arena in

Palmerston North Palmerston North (; , colloquially known as Palmerston or Palmy) is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatū Plains, the city is near the north bank of the Manaw ...

Notable players

2025 squad

Internationals

; ; * Rachel Rasmussen * Kristiana Manu'a ; * Jane Altschwager * Kristiana Manu'a *

Chelsea Pitman Chelsea Pitman (born 8 June 1988) is an Australian-born netball player and coach who represented England and Australia at international level. She won a gold medal with the Australian diamonds at the 2011 World Netball Championships and a histor ...

; *

Ama Agbeze Ama Agbeze (born 12 November 1982) is an England netball international. She was captain when England won the gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. In 2019 she received an for her services to netball. She was also a member of the England ...

Sara Bayman Sara Francis-Bayman ( Bayman, born 23 December 1984) is an English former netball player and coach from Billinge near Wigan, England. She is currently an Assistant Coach for the West Coast Fever in the Suncorp Super Netball. Playing career ...

* Sonia Mkoloma *

; * Susan Tagicakibau * Kelera Nawai ; * Victoria Smith ; *

Althea Byfield Althea Latoya Lee (born 28 November 1982 in Kingston, Jamaica) is a Jamaican international basketball and netball player. Lee is currently retired in both sports internationally and now resides in the United States.Joyce Mvula Joyce Mvula (born 15 April 1994) is a Malawian netball player and winner of two Netball Superleague titles. Domestic career Mvula started playing netball at age 13 and became the first Malawian to play in the Netball Superleague after she ...

; *

Cathrine Latu Cathrine Tuivaiti (née Latu; born 25 October 1986) is a netball international who has played for Samoa, New Zealand and Tonga. She represented Samoa at the 2006 Commonwealth Games and the 2007 World Netball Championships, New Zealand at the 20 ...

* Ainsleyana Puleiata * Rachel Rasmussen * Frances Solia * Saviour Tui ; *

Irene van Dyk Irene van Dyk (née Viljoen; born 21 June 1972) is a former netball international who represented both New Zealand and South Africa. Between 2000 and 2014 she made 145 senior appearances for New Zealand. She was a member of the New Zealand teams ...

Captains

Award winners

ANZ Championship awards

; ANZ Championship MVP ;Notes *

Romelda Aiken Romelda Aiken-George (néé Aiken) (born 19 November 1988) is a Jamaican netball player. Aiken debuted for the Jamaica national team in 2005 as a replacement for regular shooter Elaine Davis. The shooter rose to international prominence durin ...

and Sonia Mkoloma shared the 2008 award.

New Zealand Netball Awards

;ANZ Premiership Player of the Year

Coaches

Head coaches

Assistant coaches

Main sponsors

Reserve team

Since 2016, Netball Central have also entered a team in the National Netball League. They are effectively the reserve team of Central Pulse. Between 2016 and 2018 they played as Central Zone. Since 2019, they have played as

Central Manawa Central Manawa are a New Zealand netball team based in Wellington. Since 2016 they have represented Netball Central in the National Netball League. Netball Central is the governing body that represents the Hawke's Bay, Manawatū-Whanganui, T ...

. Between 2017 and 2019, Central Zone/Central Manawa won three successive NNL titles. In 2022, Central Manawa won a fourth title.

Honours

**''Winners'':

2022 The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...

**''Runners Up'':

**''Minor premiers'':

* Netball New Zealand Super Club **''Winners'':

References

External links

Official website

Central Pulse on Facebook

Central Pulse on Twitter
{{Sport in Wellington ANZ Premiership teams ANZ Championship teams Netball teams in New Zealand Sports clubs and teams established in 2007 2007 establishments in New Zealand Sport in Wellington