Hamilton women represent NZ at indoor netball world cup.

Four Hamilton women are heading to South Africa next month to represent New Zealand at the Indoor Netball World Cup.

Hayley Clay, 20, Waimarie Anderson-Springer, 19, Carissa Te Wharau, 20, and Mereanna Monk, 18, along with eight other women from throughout the North Island found out on March 30 that they would be going to the World Cup as the Under 21 team.

“It was the best feeling, driving home from Napier last weekend,” Anderson-Springer said, after the girls were named as part of the team going to South Africa.“We were freaking out about going overseas.  It’s still sinking in.  You only get this opportunity once in a life time, so we’re really excited.”

The girls have been training together over the past five months at Inzone Indoor Sports and also travel together each weekend to Auckland for training.

“Each girl is funding every weekend up [to Auckland] and back, as well as three games each,” said Tania Anderson, who is their coach.  “It’s just a huge sacrifice from their work, their families, their weekends, and their money.”

The girls are required to fund everything for the trip to South Africa, which has caused a bit of stress.

“We only found out last week that we were going, so as exciting as it is, it’s also a bit hard,” said Clay.  “It means we have to take off work or school and we have to come up with the money for the flights.”

The trip will cost $4,900 each and with a few members on student benefits while at university, it means money is tight and stress is high but the girls and their coach think it’s worth the price tag and sacrifice.

Some of the women are also having issues with securing time off from study or work.

Te Wharau, a student at Waikato University, has been worried about taking a week off from study to go overseas.

“I talked with my tutor and she said if I miss two tests this semester I would get an incomplete and not pass,” said Te Wharau.  “I was like, are you serious?  I’m going to represent New Zealand in South Africa.  So that‘s pretty stressful, but I’m trying to keep on top of it and I hope I can make it all work out.”

Monk, a factory worker, is also struggling with getting time off work. “I need to get eight days off work, but I have to make that time up when I get back within a month, so that’s 64 hours extra  I need to make up, so that is pretty stressful.”

Each girl has been researching different things about South Africa with hopes that they are able to do a bit of sightseeing, shopping, and  a safari after the tournament is over.

“We want to get the most, everything and anything we can out of this trip,” Anderson-Springer said.

“To experience the culture as well, we have never travelled far out of New Zealand, so we just want to get best experience,” said Clay.

Having only played with their whole team once, they are looking forward to the last training session in New Zealand before they fly out.

“The whole team meets once more before we fly overseas,” said Anderson-Springer, who does not seem nervous about the lack of training time with the whole team.

Their coach knows the girls have given up a big part of their life for the tournament.

“They don’t get help financially; there aren’t scholarships that they can apply for within the short amount of time left.  But they are determined to make it over there, they will fundraise and put on raffles,” said Anderson.

“They don’t ask for much and they give up a lot in return.  It’s all about their culture, the tikanga.  So much dedication and sacrifice but they love it.”

The girls fly to South Africa on May 21and represent New Zealand against English, South African and Australian teams.