Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am 22 years old. I grew up firstly in Oxford on a deer farm with my mum, dad, older brother, and sister before moving to Hawarden on to a sheep and beef farm. I then went to boarding school at Christchurch girls high school finishing up with the opportunity to go to UC on the young leader's sports scholarship, where I gained a bachelor of sports coaching majoring in physical education. all the while playing rugby.
What led you to start playing rugby?
I grew up on the sidelines of the footy field, both siblings and my dad played while my mum coached and did St Johns on the sideline every Saturday. It was pretty inevitable that I was going to play and ever since strapping the boots on as a 4-year old I knew it was a love I was going to follow through my whole life.
What is the most valuable thing you have got out of your experience as a student?
Definitely, the people you meet, whether that be the friends I have gained or the educators that I have had the pleasure of being taught by, everyone is there to push you to become the learner and person you want to be.
How did study help you prepare for your career in rugby?
Studying sports coaching, we did a lot of work learning about how different people learn. This has helped me in the way I talk to teammates and management. It has also given me a huge appreciation for keeping an open mind, driving my curiosity in how I can become a better player.
How have you felt supported on this journey?
I was incredibly lucky with my lecturers. They were extremely understanding with my training load and helped me work out the best way of learning the content and completing all assessments while ensuring I could perform in rugby at the highest level.
What’s a challenge that you’ve overcome as a woman in rugby?
A challenge I feel we are constantly competing with is the idea around the importance of what we do. Because we are not as well known or held as highly in society compared to the men's teams, I often feel as though people underestimate the passion and love I have for the game.
How have you balanced studying and playing rugby?
I love learning so when I'm learning either on the field or in the classroom my life feels in balance.
