Bay players off to Thailand with New Zealand U19 Beach Volleyball team

Rose Akkerman, left, and Sarah Stratton have made the New Zealand U19 Beach Volleyball team which is heading to Thailand in March. Photo / Andrew Warner

The Bay of Plenty is well represented among New Zealand's top beach volleyballers so it's no surprise the region can claim a good chunk of the game's rising talents as well. Kristin Macfarlane reports.

When it comes to beach volleyball, the Bay of Plenty can claim some of New Zealand's best.

The names Sam and Ben O'Dea, Jullia Tilley, Shaunna Polley and Mike Watson are all synonymous with recent beach volleyball successes, all of whom can call the Bay of Plenty home.

And the beach volleyball talents in the region are continuing to flourish, with all members of the recently announced travelling New Zealand Under19 women's team being Bay of Plenty athletes - Sarah Stratton and Rose Akkerman from Tauranga, and Caitlin Studer and Emily Julian from Whakatāne.

Their selection means they will represent New Zealand at the U19 Women's Asian Champs in Thailand next month in the hope of qualifying for the world champs later in the year - an exciting milestone for all of them to reach in their beach careers.

The trials were first held in November and after a long process, "it was so exciting" to know all her hard work had paid off. For Sarah, making her first New Zealand beach volleyball team - having played and travelled internationally with development teams in the past.

"It feels like we are a professional athletes," 17-year-old Sarah says.

"It's a really great opportunity for all of us to play international teams.

"Asia is one of the strongest regions for volley," she says.

That region covers Oceania, including New Zealand, Australia and American Samoa to name a few, as well as the Southeast Asia, Western Asia, Central Asia and Eastern Asia zones. Sarah says she is under no illusion of an easy ride when they travel to Thailand, saying qualifying for the worlds is an attainable goal but they'll have to work harder than ever before to secure a spot.

"[Competition] will be a lot stronger than here."

Rose is looking forward to the challenge, which will mean multiple trainings a week in either Mount Maunganui, Whakatāne or Auckland, while in her last year at Ōtūmoetai College, head girl duties and indoor volleyball commitments.

"I'm pretty stoked, it's a really cool opportunity and just like a way to put myself out there," Rose says.

Julian, left, and Sarah Stratton in action during the New Zealand Provincial Beach Volleyball Champs last month. Photo / File

Emily says making the national Under 19 team has been a major highlight in her beach volleyball career, coming after a lot of hard work being put in and moments of self-doubt.

"You always compare yourself."

This weekend the four will pair up to compete in the Mauao Super Slam Beach Volleyball Tournament at Mount Maunganui's Main Beach. It is the fifth event as part of the New Zealand Beach Tour, and will host five and two star competitions. This means, to earn a spot in the five star competitions teams had to play off yesterday evening. This weekend's slam will be the last event on the New Zealand Beach Tour at Mount Maunganui until the finals on March 7-8.

Sarah and Emily will partner up, just as they have done so in previous Mauao Slam events, and Rose and Caitlin will join together, giving the athletes some quality playing time against tough competition ahead of their Asian champs campaign.

Dave Miller from BeachedAz Events, the company running the tour, says this weekend's open women's division will be strong, which is what the young athletes hope to compete in.

He says facing off against tough competition from New Zealand and around the world, will help them in their preparation for next month's Asian champs.

The top women's division will feature top seeds, Tauranga's Julia and Shauna Polley and American pair Ivey Schmitt and Sarah Seiber, as well as a new international team that will be seeded quite highly - American Carissa Whalen teaming up with Germany's Pia Weiand. In the men's division, Tauranga's Michael Watson and Auckland's Johann Timmer will want the top spot to continue their successes during the tour.

"I think it will be our strongest draw so far of the tour," Miller says.

Meanwhile, once the Asian champs are over the focus will turn to indoor volleyball for Rose, who hopes to be at the Secondary Schools nationals with her school team this year.

Sarah turns to indoor volleyball also, having secured a scholarship to play indoor volleyball at Daytona State University in Florida, where she will move later in the year.