Volleyball: Hard work pays off for Mount Maunganui

Their more fancied rivals on the other side of the bridge garner more attention due to a slew of national titles, but the Mount Maunganui College volleyball programme is beginning to make noises all of its own.

The college, boasting 1200 students, has been building a foundation in recent years that is now beginning to bear fruit.

Two students - Nate Moore, 17, and Emma Flynn, 15 - have been named in the New Zealand under-19 team to compete in an international event in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, while Madison Riddall, 16, Perry Preston, 15, Franqui Leach, 16, and Claudia Colenso, 17, have made under-19 North Island teams to compete in a transtasman competition in Runaway Bay, Queensland, against teams representing New South Wales, Queensland and the South Island.

Moore, who led the senior boys to twelfth position at the nationals and won under-17 Oceania beach volleyball gold last year in Tahiti alongside Tauranga Boys' College's Tom Mabbott, cannot wait to once again head offshore.

"I'm stoked to be honest, I didn't expect it, so it is awesome.

"I love volleyball, I live for it pretty much, it's the best thing."

Moore says his school has put greater emphasis on volleyball since the arrival of former Tauranga Boys' coach Damon Haenga.

"A couple of years ago, we weren't the best, but it is slowly getting better. We've got a few good players coming through which is good."

Moore must soon choose between beach and indoor volleyball.

"It will be tough. With the beach you have to be fit, whereas with indoor you can be a little bit lazy and get away with it. I went for two runs up the Mount last night trying to get the fitness up."

Flynn, too, is looking forward to heading to the States, but confessed to some nerves considering she has never left the North Island.

Senior boys coach Haenga said the students' places in the representative teams were well earned.

"It's fantastic and really a reflection of the hard work all the athletes have put in over the last four years," said Haenga.

"It's not something that has just happened - it's an a cumulative thing."

All three boys play for the newly-established Mauao Volleyball Club, while Colenso plays for the Tauranga Volleyball Club.