Watching the Hampstead School Orange netball team on court, you could be forgiven for thinking your eyes are playing tricks on you.

That’s because there's three players in there who look very much alike - the year 5 netball team features a set of triplets, Ashton, Zac and Jaxson Lawson.

The nine-year-olds are a rarity – there’s not a lot of netball teams around featuring a set of triplets, let alone a set of triplet boys in a sport traditionally dominated by girls and women.

The Lawson boys play in the Hampstead School Orange team in Mid Canterbury Netball’s Ashburton New World junior competition and the trio were all smiles when they came off the court from their first game on Saturday, especially Zac who was the side’s player of the day.

Netball has been a big part of the Lawson family for the past few years, with the boys having been played for Hampstead School since they were in year 3, and all four of their sisters also having played. One of their sisters, Shania, is even coaching their team this season before going on to play netball herself in the afternoon, for the Hampstead Ray White U18B team in the KFC/Bellissimo senior youth competition.

Article added: Tuesday 07 May 2024