Margaret Hine Forsyth (28 December 1961 – 4 May 2021) was a New Zealand

netball Netball is a ball sport played on a court by two teams of seven players. It is among a rare number of sports which have been created exclusively for female competitors. The sport is played on indoor and outdoor netball courts and is specifical ...

player and coach, and politician. Born in

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...

, she was selected for the

New Zealand national netball team The New Zealand national netball team, commonly known as the Silver Ferns, represent New Zealand in international netball. The team take their nickname from the Silver Tree Fern (''Cyathea dealbata''), which is an emblem for many New Zealand s ...

, the Silver Ferns, in 1979 at the age of 17 while a pupil at Hillcrest High School. During the 1980s, Forsyth formed a notable shooting partnership with fellow Silver Ferns shooter Margharet Matenga, known together as the "two Margs". She continued with the team until 1987, competing at three World Netball Tournaments. Forsyth later became a Hamilton city councillor, and in 2014 was appointed assistant coach of the

Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic are a New Zealand netball team based in Hamilton. Between 1999 and 2007, they played in the Coca-Cola Cup/National Bank Cup league. Between 2008 and 2016, they played in the ANZ Championship. Since 2017, Magic have ...

competing 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 ...

. In 2017 the Magic joined the new

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 Netball ...

competition, and Forsyth was promoted to head coach of the team. In the 2020 New Year Honours, she was appointed an

Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have ren ...

, for services to netball and the community. She died on 4 May 2021, aged 59, shortly after being diagnosed with cancer.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Forsyth, Margaret 1961 births 2021 deaths New Zealand netball coaches New Zealand international netball players Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit Netball players at the 1985 World Games ANZ Premiership coaches Hamilton City Councillors Sportspeople from Hamilton, New Zealand Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic coaches 1979 World Netball Championships players 1983 World Netball Championships players 1987 World Netball Championships players Deaths from cancer in New Zealand Northern Mystics coaches