Silver Ferns physio hits major milestone
An ever-present figure on the sidelines, long-serving physiotherapist Sharon Kearney has been honoured by the team after posting her 200th match with the Silver Ferns following the second test against the Scottish Thistles in Glasgow on Wednesday.
Appointed as the Silver Ferns physio for her first test, against the Cook Islands in 1993, Kearney has become the cornerstone of Netball New Zealand’s high-performance and injury prevention landscape for the intervening 32 years.
Widely regarded as one of the country’s leading experts in physiotherapy and injury management, Kearney’s influence has extended across generations of athletes and support staff.
Kearney has remained at the forefront of developing injury prevention, physio and management programmes, working closely with the Accident Compensation Corporation at community level to help decrease significant sporting injuries in New Zealand.
Her research work and the subsequent reduction in major knee injuries in netball is an on-going legacy to Kearney’s vital contribution to health and well-being. She was formally honoured when made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (NZOM) in 2020.
Affectionately known as Shaz, Kearney has been involved across several sports but has left her considerable mark most noticeably in netball.
Beginning with New Zealand’s national youth netball teams and the Silver Ferns in the 1990s, Kearney was subsequently appointed Medical Co-ordinator and touring physiotherapist for the Silver Ferns. Over her distinguished career, she has represented New Zealand at six Netball World Cups, two Commonwealth Games and three World Youth Cups.
Kearney continues to lead the development of innovative physiotherapy and management programmes designed to keep athletes at all levels of the game performing at their best – with her NetballSmart programme. Her work has also extended beyond the court, including roles as a Specialist Advisor in Physiotherapy for the New Zealand Academy of Sport (2005–2006) and as Lead Physiotherapist for High Performance Sport New Zealand (2001–2015).
Alongside her national commitments, Kearney has shared her deep knowledge as a tutor and clinical educator at the University of Otago’s Physiotherapy Clinic, helping shape the next generation of health professionals.
Her 200th Test is a fitting tribute to a career defined by care, excellence, a great sense of humour and an unwavering commitment to athlete wellbeing.