Christina Oscar - Giving Back to the Game

Christina Oscar, College alumna and now College Head of Netball, has already begun shaping the programme with a perspective grounded in player and managerial experience.

After graduating in 2015, Oscar went on to compete with the Northern Stars and represent Tonga Tala internationally. A few years on, she began to experience a dissonance between what she knew about being successful and the pathways to get there. “When I finished at Saint Kentigern, [the pathways] felt really clear,” she reflects. “You knew where you needed to go to be seen.”

Over time, that clarity shifted. Opportunities became less visible, particularly for players still developing beyond school but not yet embedded in high-performance environments. That gap was not just hers. In conversations with teammates and peers, she recognised the same frustration that talented players were still improving, but without access to the coaching and structure needed to progress.

From this frustration, an idea was formed.

Alongside her partner Jordan Papa, a strength and conditioning coach, Christina established the netball arm of Huskies Sports Club, building on an already successful touch rugby programme in Manurewa. What began four years ago has developed into a high-performance environment with a clear purpose: to remove barriers. Through strong sponsorship backing, the programme operates as fully funded, removing cost as a barrier to accessing high-level coaching and structured development, reinforcing her belief that opportunity should not be dictated by resource.

Oscar has also learned that while opportunity may open the door, it is culture that determines what follows. Training, attendance, and effort all matter. In a high performance environment, selection cannot be based on reputation or potential alone; it is earned through consistency and commitment. If players do not show up to training, they do not take the court. “There’s a real shift when athletes understand that the work is done at training,” she says. “If they buy into that, the performance will come.” That mindset has shaped a programme where expectations are clear and belief is actively built. “Girls love having people believe in them,” she adds.

Over time, the programme has grown into a recognised presence in Auckland Premier netball, creating clearer pathways for both players and coaches. Through this, Oscar has developed a deeper understanding of what is required to build environments where progression feels possible again.

It is these learnings that Christina now brings full circle, back to her alma mater. She brings with her a clear set of principles: that access should not be a barrier, that standards are earned through consistency, and that belief is built through environment.

At Saint Kentigern, she is focused on ensuring opportunity exists for those willing to commit to it, creating the space where that work can take place. We know our athletes will be the recipients of these learnings.

If you would like to learn more about the Huskies Sports Club, visit their webpage