Jaymie Kolose has recently returned from the Touch World Cup in Malaysia, where the Touch Blacks Women’s side made the final against Australia, and she is in the Warriors Women’s squad for the new NRL Touch competition. She has also been selected in the New Zealand Secondary School Netball Team that is preparing to take on England U19 in July in Auckland. We caught up with year 13 Saint Kentigern College’s Jaymie to find out more about her busy sporting life. Congratulations on representing New Zealand at the Touch World Cup. What position do you play and how many games did you play? For the Open Women’s Touch Blacks team I play Middle/Link. At the Touch World Cup, I played all but one pool game (that was against USA). What was a highlight playing for the New Zealand at the recent Touch World Cup? Representing my country at this level and also playing in the final against Australia with the world’s best touch players was definitely another highlight for me. The touch season is over, but you still have some exciting Touch commitments coming up, as well as netball? That was the end of the international and representative touch season for me, however I have been fortunate to be selected to play in the new NRL Touch Competition for the Warriors Women’s Touch team. School netball started last term with skills and conditioning and court work. The Auckland school competition starts this week. What New Zealand Touch teams have you played in previously? My debut with the NZ Touch Black Women’s team was last April 2018 for the Opens Trans-Tasman Series against Australia. I have also represented NZ in the Junior grades for the U18’s (Youth Trans-Tasman series 2017) and the NZ U15’s (Development Tour, 2014). What were some highlights playing touch in NZ this past season? I have really enjoyed my touch season. To make the finals for the NZSS Touch tournament was a great achievement for the team and school especially with a number of new and younger players. I then went on to represent my province Counties Manukau in the U18 Girls which we won and then moved into the Open Women’s Touch Nationals also with Counties. Unfortunately, we went down in a drop-off in the finals. So, a busy schedule but a rewarding one. How do the two sports complement each other? Some of the skills associated to touch can be transferred to netball, things like passing into spaces, speed to the ball and agility. When you are in an environment where you are expected to perform you make sure that the groundwork is done, things like being fit. Also playing with players with a lot more experience also makes you work harder too. What positions do you play in netball, and have you always played there? I move between Centre and Wing Attack. I have also played Wing Defence. I have always played these positions for school, club and representative netball. Is this the first time you have made the NZSS secondary school netball team? What other representative netball teams have you played in the past? This is my first year with the NZSS Netball team. I have also played representative netball for Auckland through the grades and also with Tamaki Makaurau. Highlights for me would definitely be making this team and winning a NZSS Netball National title in 2016. How long have you been in the St Kent’s Premier netball team for? I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to go to my first NZSS nationals with the 2017 Saint Kentigern Premier team and was selected in the team in Year 11. Do you also play some club netball as well? The Auckland Secondary School competition starts this week. I am currently playing school netball and fill in for club netball in a Premier competition. For school, the St Kent’s team had some big battles last year including the 37-39 extra time loss to EGGS in the Auckland Regional final, so a tough competition? The Auckland secondary school competition is always a hard competition. Our team have been focusing on building connections across the court and we are really keen to get out there and play. We know that each game is going to be tough but we are ready to go! As well as netball and Touch, do you play other sports? I had done athletics for school, Eastern Zone and Auckland Championships over the past five years. I did the 100m and 200m. Unfortunately, I tore my hamstring and was unable to compete in the Eastern zone and Auckland Championships this year. How long have you been your sports and what was your first sport? I have been involved in sports since I was three or four years old starting with athletics. I played netball for club when I was six and started playing Touch when I was about seven. My first sport would have been athletics. How much of an influence is your family on your sport, including your older sister Tori? My family has had a huge influence on my sports. From driving me to and from games and practices to making sure I’m looking after myself to encouraging me to ‘play my best!’ Everyone in my family plays sports, it is part of who we are and what we do! You can always guarantee that you would see a family member watching from the side-line, this can be hard sometimes considering there are five of us. My older sister Tori has always been someone that I have looked up to in sport. We’ve played together at Saint Kentigern in both Netball and Touch and outside of school too. She has shown me that hard work pays off. Read about older sister Tori Kolose HERE from 2015 when she was MVP of the NZSS Touch Tournament. 13/5/2019 Second time's a charm for Lokotui
Despite a recent injury scare, 17-year-old Paris Lokotui is fit to play after being selected for the New Zealand Secondary School netball team. Last year Lokotui was selected for the New Zealand Secondary School team but was unable to play because of an ankle injury. After once again being named in the New Zealand Secondary School side this year, history threatened to repeat itself when she injured the same ankle playing in the Beko Netball League a couple of weeks ago. Fortunately, she recovered quickly and had been able to play and train on it since last week and therefore would be able to compete against the England Under 19 team in July. “To be selected and a part of the NZSS team again is just awesome,” she said. Lokotui, who predominantly plays goal defence and goal keeper, has been playing for the Queen Margaret College Senior A netball team since year nine, making this her fifth year in the side. It’s not just all netball for Lokotui however, she also plays basketball, water polo, sevens rugby and volleyball. Lokotui has been able to learn from some of the game's best players while playing for the Central Manawa in the Beko Netball League, as well as occasionally training with the Wellington Pulse. “It has exposed me to what being a professional athlete is,” she said. “To be successful, you must be in a team environment where everyone is for each other and that everyone has their mind focused on the same goal.” She was also one of 12 young New Zealand sportswomen who were awarded a Tania Dalton Foundation scholarship this year. The scholarship is in honour of the late Tania Dalton, who made 37 appearances for the Silver Ferns and died suddenly in 2017. As part of the scholarship, Lokotui was set up with legendary New Zealand goal shoot Irene Van-Dyk as a mentor, who she said she looked up to both on and off the court. “Not only was she an amazing netball player but she shows attributes such as kindness, respect and gives back to the community which really inspires me.” Van-Dyk said one of Lokotui’s strengths was her work ethic. “She does not shy away from hard work.” Lokotui trains at least six days a week, including team trainings, strength and conditioning sessions, and matches. Van-Dyk said that her hard work showed on the court. “Her ability to read the game is absolutely fantastic. She hunts for the ball, she doesn’t get stuck at goal keeper.” Lokotui is one of two Wellington players in the NZSS team to play England in July, along with Saviour Tui from St Mary's College. Read our previous story with Paris Lokotui in October 2017 HERE Northland netballer Dannielle-Rose Dephoff will join the New Zealand Secondary Schools squad that plays England U19 in July in Auckland. We caught up with the Bay of Islands College year 13 player as she juggles her busy life in Kawakawa training and playing netball for school and club and of course attending school. Congratulations on making the team – what was your reaction after your heard you had been selected? When I received the call in my mind I just went ‘wow, I actually done it.’ I was excited, nervous and definitely a bit surprised all at the same time. The reason I was so surprised was because I was up against thousands of other amazing, naturally talented and hard-working girls throughout New Zealand. Was this the first time you trialled for the NZSS team, or had you made previous NZSS training squads before? This would be my first and last ever year trialling for the NZSS team. I've played against only a few of my new teammates in previous years (that I know of) and that was in representative tournaments. Are you from Northland? I was born in Whangarei and raised in Kawakawa. I am from Kaeo which is further up north and also a little place called Motatau - Which is also known as ‘the centre of the universe! I went to Kawakawa Primary school, then transitioned from KKPS into Bay of Islands College after year 8. I have been at BOIC ever since I started secondary school. You play defence – you have recently changed positions? Growing up I have been through and played all seven positions. When I started Secondary school and up until mid-last year I was circle defence; GK and GD. Mid last year my coaches and I came to the realisation that I wasn't going to grow any taller and my dream of playing circle defence for the rest of my life was never going to happen! So with that in mind my representative coach played me in mid court from then on. When I first started playing in the mid court I wasn't too fond of it, but then it grew on me and now my preferred positions would definitely have to be C or WD. What other representative netball teams have you played in? Ever since the end of my primary school years I have played in Kerikeri representative teams. I have been playing in the Tai Tokelau Maori netball teams ever since I was 11, so about 6 years now! I have also played in the Whangarei U19s team for two years now and I was recently chosen to play in the Northland Cluster U17s team for 2019. What is a favourite aspect of playing netball? My favourite part about netball is meeting new people at tournaments, and seeing all the other talented girls who are as passionate about netball as I am. Meeting new people would have to be one of my favourite things about netball because I get to make new friendships which will last a whole lifetime. What netball centre do you represent, and do you play club and school netball? I represent Kerikeri netball centre, and have done since year 7. I play in Whangarei with my Club team, The BUBZ. I also play in Kerikeri with my school team. The reason I play club netball and school netball is because I get to learn off amazing people who are older than me who have been playing the game for a long time, and in my school team get to learn and grow with/off girls my age. Last year I played club which was an amazing experience because I got to learn so much and develop myself not only as a netball player but as a young woman. We didn't win our competition but it wasn't really about the outcome for us it was more about the process and journey we took from the start to the finish of the season. How much travelling is involved for you playing and training for netball? Right now I am working on balancing all my team and personal trainings as well as my school and home life. I train locally which is very good for me and my busy whanau. On weekends I play in Kerikeri which is only about 30 minutes away from where I live and also Whangarei, which is only about 45mins away from my hometown. Do you someone or people you admired growing up, helping you to get to this stage? Growing up I have been forever surrounded and inspired by so many amazing people, and it’s not only the women in my life who have helped me through my journey it’s also been my dad and many of my uncles. My mum and several my "aunties" have always been my favourite players or mentors over my years of growing up. They have taught me all i know about the game. What other sports have you played? Has netball always been your main sport? When I was about four I started my sporting life off with rugby, then as I turned seven my mates at the time and I swapped our rugby jerseys for netball dresses. Later on when I started secondary school I got into Waka Ama and Rugby 7s, but ever since I was seven years old netball has always been my main sport. Tell us about the support you have? In the north everyone knows everyone, so as I grew up I have had the pleasure of learning that I have about 30 or so non-related aunties and uncles who care for me and teach me things as if I was their own. My family is one of the most supportive groups I have in my life, and I am sincerely grateful to be blessed with the most motivating, and uplifting family I could ever ask for. I have had several coaches over the years and give all thanks to them for I would never have made it this far without them, they have given me the most knowledge, the most drive and the most support to get me where I am today. Most of all I’d like to thank my parents, living with three other siblings it hasn't been easy on my parents to juggle around their work lives, my siblings and I, and paying bills every day. They have been the back bone to my entire netball journey and I would like to thank them for always being there when I need. Thank you and go well! Manukura have attended the NZSS netball tournament every year since 2005 and last year finished fifth in one of the country’s toughest school national tournaments. One of their players, Brody Manson, has just been selected in the NZSS team that plays England U19 in July in Auckland. She is also one of six Manukura players named recently in the Aotearoa Māori Netball International Secondary School (AMNISS) team that hosts the International Schoolgirls Netball Challenge in Palmerston North at the end of this month. We caught up with Brody as the 2019 season is just getting underway. Congratulations on making these teams. What was your reaction to being selected? Excited, grateful for the opportunity, super surprised - it was just out of nowhere really. Being that it is my last year of school I thought that the opportunities had come and gone for me. What were your expectations at the start of the year, and what was the selection process for both these teams? Honestly, I never really thought I was good enough to be selected but after making the squad of 22 for NZSS there was a chance of making the team. It was a surprise to be named in both teams and I’m excited. NZSS Selection process: Regional Talent ID camp then move to Centre Talent ID camp at the end of last year. I was then shortlisted to attend the NZ Development camp and got called into the camp in early January. From there 22 squad players were named and the final selection was made last Wednesday. AMNISS Selection process: Open trial process in February which gained selection into a squad of 15 players to compete at the Pacific Nations Cup Tournament in Auckland in March. From there you have to attend the National AMNOHL Tournament to be considered for the Team. The netball season is just getting underway, so the mahi is just starting – what is your training and playing routine over the next few weeks? I have two netball and basketball practices, four conditioning sessions, one Premier club netball and basketball game and one SS netball and basketball game a week. Playing netball for school is a priority but also making sure I am prepared for the AMNISS campaign. How was the experience in training with the Central Beko team recently? Being at the next level of high performance was great. I learnt that there is more off court things that need to be completed and it is a lot of self-managing that takes place. What are your favoured positions - you are a centre or wing attack? I like centre better but I can play both. Centre is more my type of style as I have more freedom and I’m not confined to one area of the court. Tell us about your netball and background? You are from Northland? I have been playing netball for 10 years now, I really only started playing because all my friends played and trained at lunchtime so I joined in. I come from a small town in the north, Dargaville where my family still lives. There was never really much competition or opportunities being in such a small town and I guess my family wanted more for me and they were my main driving force into moving away and excelling in all aspects of life really. We decided I would move down after my first year of high school at 14 years old. I was fortunate enough to be coming down with family friends who I spent the first couple of years with which made the process a of moving away from home and my friends a lot easier but I was still anxious and scared to be in a different environment and out of my comfort zone. I am now in my fourth year of school at MANUKURA and couldn’t be happier with the sacrifices me and my family made at the start of this journey. How long have you been a member of the Manukura Senior A team for? This is my second year in the Senior Team. Last year we missed out on top 4 on count back so our goal was to finish 5th. We lost four players from last year so we still have a solid base to work off for this year. Basketball is another one of your main sports – you also play for Manukura’s Senior A team? I play for the Senior A Basketball team at MANUKURA. We competed in the Single A grade last year and were fortunate enough to take out the Championship. We are a group that have been together for a while now so we are looking forward to what this year will bring us. Tell us about the support you have? I have the most amazing support system behind me in everything I do no matter how far or near they may be. The amount of love, support, commitment and time my family invests in me is incredible and is what allows me to attend and be part of these teams, which I cannot be more grateful for. They are the backbone to my success and I wouldn't be in this position without them. Thank you – and good luck for the season ahead! View the NZSS team that plays England in July HERE |
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