Before play began at Victoria Park, the 70-plus players from six associations listened to Wanganui's world champion rower Philippa Baker-Hogan, who told them you learned your abilities the first time they were questioned.
Baker had a run of fourth-placings at three consecutive world championships in lightweight single sculls, before forming a silver medal-winning pairs team with Linda De Jong.
"I concentrated on helping her, thinking more like a team does."
Wanting to get back into singles, she was told by the New Zealand selectors she would not be selected in that role, but after advice from her world champion triathlete sister Erin Baker, forged ahead with the plan.
Winning constantly in 1991 brought her back into the team in 1991 and took her to the world championship gold.
"It's like sport and life, it's full of ups and downs. It's how we handle them that really matters."
Central coach Esther Lanser is sure her team will handle themselves well over the next five days.
The side consists of four Taranaki players, four from Hawke's Bay and two each from Nelson and Manawatu. Their ages are 11 to 15.
They had been up at 5.30am for a meditation session, a practice Lanser introduced last year that has taken hold.
"I didn't even bring it up, then the girls said to me, 'Esther, are we going to meditate?'
"We've got a really good balance, a lot of the girls that have come back have improved 10-fold."
Rees had recently been to the under-21 girls' tournament and had the ability to be a "breakout" performer, while Hurley was also one to watch.
Ashley Taula proved at the recent inter-district tournament she could hit sixes and also had a big future, Lanser said.
However, the coach was making no predictions about a title repeat.
"We don't use the 'w' [win] word. There's a big emphasis on improving and enjoying themselves."
In other first-round games, Auckland were playing Wellington and Christchurch Metro facing Northern Districts.
The tournament continues today.