Ayla Pratt is considering her future sporting options. Photo / George Novak
Ayla Pratt is considering her future sporting options. Photo / George Novak
At 17, Tauranga's Ayla Pratt has confirmed a place in New Zealand's sporting history as part of the first Kiwi football team to make the final four in any Fifa event - and now she's considering changing codes.
Ayla, who has been playing football for more than a decade, wasa member of New Zealand's U17 women's football team that won bronze in the Fifa Under-17 Women's World Cup in Uruguay. It is the highlight of her sporting career.
"It was unreal, I don't even know how to explain it. It was just so exciting and it gave a lot of people some hope that we can actually do big things," she said.
Ayla Pratt, right, celebrates with Kelli Brown after winning the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Uruguay 2018 third place match between New Zealand and Canada in Uruguay. Photo / Getty Images
It's an achievement she nearly missed and it's also one that has made her contemplate her future, particularly in the sport, with her sights set on trying something new.
She's been watching a lot of touch rugby, she has friends who play sevens and she has an interest in boxing, so Ayla is considering moving into other sports in the New Year. She says touch and boxing are her top two picks, but is keeping her options open.
"I don't know if I'm going to keep going [with football] or try something else."
Football has been a big part of Ayla's life and has provided her with so much at such a young age so it's no surprise dad Andre, would love to see her continue in the sport he says she is naturally skilled in.
It started as a bit of family fun for the whole Pratt family and it turned out, they excelled in the sport. Dad played himself but has spent many years as a coach, first with his son Xavier, now 23, who was part of the Wellington Phoenix club's academy programme. He then coached Ayla, including when she played in Hamilton while attending St Peter's School in Cambridge, which meant multiple trips between Tauranga and Hamilton each week. Younger sister Sienna, 12, also plays and all three were there to proudly watch Ayla win bronze in Uruguay.
But that milestone could have very easily not have been reached.
It was while in Year 12 at St Peter's School that Ayla lost her passion for football and took a break from the sport.
"I wasn't in the right mindset for football."
She left school and returned home to Tauranga, where she found a love for football again, playing it socially and just for fun with the second club she was a part of at Tauranga City AFC. Her first club was Ōtūmoetai Football Club.
From there she decided to go back to school and attended Auckland's St Kentigern College.
"Everyone in that school is really supportive and positive."
That, and a bit of pep talk from her "supportive" and "motivating" New Zealand U17s coach Leon Birnie, helped convince her to keep at it. Without that, she doubts she would have been part of the history-making squad and is thankful to him for urging her to see it through.
"I'm so happy to have gone back, the break was definitely good."
Ayla Pratt returned to her Tauranga City AFC grounds this month to spend time with some of the club's junior and youth players. Photo / George Novak
Last week she returned to Tauranga City AFC and spent some time with the junior players to share her successes with them.
