Tymara Cox makes NZU18 team for China

TOP CLASS: Otumoetai College volleyballer Tymara Cox will represent New Zealand in China next month. PHOTO/GEORGE NOVAK

Otumoetai College has produced another New Zealand volleyball rep.

Tymara Cox, who turns 16 on Sunday, was selected in the New Zealand under-18 team to contest the hugely competitive Asian Youth Girls Volleyball Champs in Chongqing, China from March 5-13.

New Zealand are one of three teams from Oceania among 12 nations competing and have drawn with Japan and Samoa in their pool.

Tymara was not certain of getting a place in the squad after attending a highly competitive training camp.

"All of the girls at the camp were so strong. I never felt like 'yeah I'm all good and in'. You just never know. It was a surprise when I got the call. The talent in my year group is just crazy," she said.

Tymara is expecting a tough challenge in China.

"I have spoken to some of my teachers about the Asian champs, and Japan and China are amazing. China won the Olympics so their volleyball is going to be crazy. I am so excited.

"I always get excited when I go to new countries. It is such a cool experience to learn their culture. We are going to the fourth biggest city in China."

Tymara will draw on the knowledge she gained as part of the New Zealand under-16 team that went to Florida, United States in 2016.

"It was insane. All of us gained so much experience and you develop great friendships from trips like that. America is such a great volleyball country and I feel I have grown as a volleyballer from being there.

"Seeing how big America is in their volleyball was amazing. They play like 11 months a year and we play about three."

Her school coach Stuart Henderson certainly knows a thing or two about volleyball.

He has been in charge of volleyball at Otumoetai College for so long he can hardly remember. At the end of last year, he retired after teaching at the school for 47 years but continues to run the girls' volleyball programme.

"We have had some great players through. Probably the top one was Rachael Morgan who went top four in the States and captained her university," he said.

"Tymara I rate very highly. She has done exceptionally well but she still has a little bit of development to do. But she is certainly very powerful - that is her strength. She has a lot of power in the hit and very strong arm, and we are working on all the other skills.

"We will miss her for part of the Bay champs but we get her back for nationals."

Tymara Cox: career so far

2015-2017 Otumoetai Senior A team
2015 North Island U17 team that won Australian Junior U17 Champs in Canberra, BOP Inter Provincial U15 team
2016 NZ U17 girls team that competed in Florida, US, Tauranga Club B women's team, BOP Inter Provincial U17 team that won the national competition in Auckland
2017 NZ U18 girls team to compete in China in March at the Asian Youth Girls Volleyball Champs