Rhonda Wilcox
{{Short description|New Zealand netball player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox netball biography
|name = Rhonda Wilcox
|image =
|alt =
|caption =
|full_name = Rhonda Earlene Wilcox
|maidenname = Meads
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1961|11|03|df=y}}
|birth_place =
|death_date =
|death_place =
|spouse =
|relatives = Colin Meads (father)
Stan Meads (uncle)
|height = 1.93 m
|school = Te Kuiti High School
|occupation = Manager
|positions = GS, GK
|nationalteam1 = New Zealand
|nationalyears1 = {{nowrap|1982–1985}}
|nationalcaps1 = 20
|medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry|{{NZL}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|Netball World Cup}}
{{MedalSilver|1983 Singapore|Tournament}}
{{MedalCompetition|World Games}}
{{MedalGold|1985 London|Netball}}
}}
Rhonda Earlene Wilcox (née Meads; born 3 November 1961) is a former New Zealand netballer who played for the New Zealand national team, the Silver Ferns, on 20 occasions.
Early life and family
Wilcox was born Rhonda Earlene Meads on 3 November 1961, the daughter of Colin and Verna Meads.{{cite web |title=Rhonda Wilcox |url=https://www.silverferns.co.nz/silver-ferns/history/players/rhonda-wilcox.html |publisher=Netball New Zealand |access-date=11 December 2021}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/exclusive-sir-colin-meads-kids-dad-wasnt-famous-he-just-played-rugby/KC6WQKOMK6KU7LJJBAWVVC42YA/ |title=Exclusive: Sir Colin Meads' kids: 'Dad wasn't famous, he just played rugby' |date=22 August 2017 |work=New Zealand Herald |access-date=13 December 2021}} Her father was a leading rugby union player in the 1950s and 1960s, representing his country as a member of the All Blacks in international test matches on 55 occasions.{{cite web |url=http://stats.allblacks.com/asp/profile.asp?ABID=601 |title=Colin Meads |last=Knight |first=Lindsay |publisher=New Zealand Rugby Union |access-date=13 December 2021}} One of five siblings, Wilcox was raised on a farm on the outskirts of Te Kūiti in the North Island of New Zealand, and educated at Te Kuiti High School. Her youngest sister, Shelley Mitchell, played for the New Zealand women's basketball team in 1991 and 1992.{{cite web |url=https://nz.basketball/national-teams/alumni/ |title=Alumni |publisher=Basketball New Zealand |access-date=13 December 2021}}
Netball career
Wilcox was first selected to play for the Silver Ferns in 1982, becoming, with her father, the first All Black–Silver Fern, father–daughter combination.{{cite web |title=Silver Ferns 2014 UK tour media guide |url=https://www.silverferns.co.nz/images/silver-ferns/documents/UK-Media-Guide2014.pdf |publisher=Netball New Zealand |access-date=11 December 2021}} Playing in the goal shooter (GS) position, she was at the time the tallest shooter to play for the team, standing at {{convert|1.93|m|ftin}}. In 1982, she toured England, playing her first test match on 13 November. Wilcox played in the 1983 World Netball Championships in Singapore, where New Zealand lost to Australia in the final. In 1985, at the World Games held in London, she switched to playing as the goal keeper (GK). New Zealand won the gold medal, beating Australia in the final.
After retiring from top-level competition, Wilcox continued to play, including for the Riverlands team in the Waikato region, when she played alongside her sister, Shelley Mitchell.{{cite web |title=One 6pm News & Holmes. 25/08/1995 |url=https://ngataonga.org.nz/collections/catalogue/catalogue-item?record_id=305723 |publisher=Ngā Taonga |access-date=11 December 2021}}
Later life
From 1998 to 2016, Wilcox worked as a supply manager for Air New Zealand.{{cite web |title=Rhonda Wilcox |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhonda-wilcox-6316ab28/ |website=LinkedIn |access-date=11 December 2021}} She also occasionally served as a scout for the Silver Ferns.{{cite web |title=Netball: Auckland sides put contest in spin |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/netball-auckland-sides-put-contest-in-spin/YYFPZU2LE2IY62AF45V4RWPBI4/ |website=New Zealand Herald |access-date=11 December 2021}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{New Zealand squad at the 1983 World Netball Championships}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilcox, Rhonda}}
Category:Sportspeople from Te Kūiti
Category:People educated at Te Kuiti High School
Category:New Zealand international netball players
Category:1983 World Netball Championships players
Category:Netball players at the 1985 World Games
Category:World Games gold medalists for New Zealand
Category:World Games medalists in netball
Category:Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic coaches