After his experiences in the pool last summer, the upcoming transtasman schoolboy series against Australia in Sydney should seem like child's play for Mt Maunganui Year 11 student Danny Kayes.
Kayes has his final NCEA exam tomorrow before heading to Auckland for a four-day training camp ahead of the three-test trastasman series on December 16-18.
Kayes has already tasted success against the Australian schoolboy side in Auckland last year but said there was extra incentive heading overseas, with New Zealand having never beaten their Aussie counterparts across the Tasman.
"I don't know why that is - we beat them here but haven't won away before so it's motivation for sure."
Kayes' older brother Joseph is playing professionally overseas for leading Hungarian club Szeged and a family trip last summer to watch the glamour side play in the Tom Hoad Cup in Perth turned into a dream week for Danny after he was asked by Szeged coach Zoltan Kasas to ditch the spectating and play, even staying a couple of nights in the team hotel.
"Joe had said he might get me a game with one of the junior teams taking part but straight after introducing myself to Joe's coach he said: 'you play with us', because apparently he'd left one of their injured players back in Hungary, so I said: 'shit, okay then!".
Kayes sat on the bench for most of the tournament but got plenty of pool time against the Japanese national men's side.
"The New Zealand men's side lost to Japan by 10 goals and we [Szeged] beat them by 10 or 11 so that gives an indication of the level it was at.
"It was pretty cool and made an already good trip a dream trip. I got a bit knocked around in the pool but was expecting that, being a schoolboy up against senior men, but I think I held my own against Japan."
Kayes, a shooter in the pool, is Mt Maunganui College's sportsboy of the year, a midfielder in their first XV and a national champion surf lifesaver. Perth opened his eyes to the possibility of following in his sibling's giant footsteps and making a career out of waterpolo overseas.
"I'm back at school again next year but if there's an opportunitty to follow Joe's path if I stick with waterpolo then I'd be keen. I talk with Joe most days and he's having an unbelievable experience in Hungary, playing with and against some of the legends of the game and making a living out of it at the same time."
Kayes is also putting back, having just returned from Auckland where he coached Mt Maunganui Intermediate at the North Island Year 7-8 championship, with Mount winning medals in the boys' and girls' grades.
Former Mount College student Rebecca Parkes, now living in Auckland, is in the national schoolgirls' side also heading to Sydney.
New Zealand schoolboys
Thomas Kingsmill (Kristin College), Sid Dymond (Northcote College), Matthew Lewis (Sacred Heart College), Danny Kayes (Mt Maunganui College), Sean Bryant (Naenae College), Tyler Vao (Rangitoto College), Owen Chambers (Westlake Boys High), Braeden Drennan (Sacred Heart College), Paul Richardson (Auckland Grammar), Tim Dreadon (Sacred Heart College), Brook Houghton (Rangitoto College), Ben Perham (Westlake Boys High), Rory McJorrow (Hutt Valley High), Darcy Ferigo (Sacred Heart College).