Brooke Fevre combining BMX racing and rugby refereeing

There’s rarely a dull moment for Hawera High School’s Brooke Fevre, who is busy juggling her two sports of rugby and BMX racing.

One she started doing because of injury, the other carries a high risk of injury.

“I started rugby refereeing in 2016, after I got concussed and also injured my neck and had to stop playing, said Brooke who is year 13 at Hawera High School.

“BMX racing is a really competitive sport and everyone wants that finals spot, so crashes and the potential for injuries are part of it. Luckily I haven’t had any serious injuries, just a few scrapes and crashes that haven’t been too serious.”

She is the only girls rugby referee in the Taranaki region, and hopes to continue with the whistle in to the future. 

She is a nationally ranked BMX racer and it has taken her all over the world.

“I have been to world championships, so that has been a great experience being able to represent New Zealand overseas and race my bike.”

“I have made it to the semi-finals. In the World Championships in England in 2012 I crashed in my semi, when they were in Auckland I missed out on the final by one point and then when they were in Adelaide I made it to the quarter-finals and then crashed as well!” 

In the National BMX Championships in April Brooke finished eighth out of about 30 riders in the 17-29 female division. The only other current schoolgirl was Jordan Donaldson who goes to Hobsonville Point High School in Auckland.

She trains at home in Hawera and up in New Plymouth on a regular basis. The North Island Championships in Whangarei are coming up later in the year so that is the next big event on the BMX calendar. 

BMX racing is an Olympic sport and has grown in popularity around the world. New Zealand’s Sarah Walker won silver at the London Olympics in 2012 and is a former world champion and Brooke has raced against her. 

Brooke has a strong family connection in both sports.

““I started BMX racing when I was four. My whole family on mum’s side do it. My uncle is a world champion and my granddad is the President of the Hawera BMX Club, so they have kind of brought me through the sport. 

Brooke’s father is Craig Fevre, former Taranaki halfback and current co-coach of Taranaki club team Stratford-Eltham who finished fifth in Taranaki Premier rugby this year.

“I have other rugby connections. My second cousin is Black Ferns halfback Kendra Cocksedge and we are slightly related to the Barrett brothers – so my family love our rugby.

“When I used to play I was a halfback as well, so Kendra used to give me some tips and advice.

“Now I am concentrating on refereeing. I would love to travel the world as a referee and referee at a high level of women’s rugby. I am always working hard to be better and if opportunities pop up then I will take them!”

She has already been involved in an unsavoury incident. “This year I was verbally and physically abused on the field by a player that I penalised and she did not like the call, I became emotional and so I called the game off with a minute to go.”

“This incident became very serious and it went through a judiciary process. While going through this process all I thought about was why I referee and why I love doing what I do, it make me stronger which helped me to get myself back out on the field.”

As well as BMX racing and rugby refereeing, Brooke plays squash and Touch rugby in the summer. 

She has plans for when she leaves school at the end of next year. “I’m heading down to Queenstown to do Adventure Tourism – I would hate to be sitting at desk all day, I might as well get out there and live a little.”  
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