Sand athletes taking post-Games breather

Kelsie Wills (above) and Shaunna Polley were part of New Zealand's first female beach volleyball team to compete at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games last month. Bay of Plenty Times Photograph by John Borren NZH 12Jan18 -

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

New Zealand’s beach volleyball stars are lining up their next play following the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

Tauranga brothers Sam and Ben O’Dea achieved a bronze-medal finish in beach volleyball’s Games debut, while the women’s duo of Shaunna Polley and Kelsie Wills powered through the preliminary rounds before bowing out in the quarterfinal against Cyprus.

Wills is the granddaughter of former Gisborne residents Barry and Diana Preston. Barry and his brothers Bob and Husky played rugby for Poverty Bay in the 1950s.

Barry and Diana’s daughter Karen left Gisborne for teachers college and married Grant Wills. They are dairy farmers near Matamata. Their daughter Kelsie is a multi-talented sportswoman whose volleyball prowess gained her a university scholarship in America and a year of professional competition in France. She returned to New Zealand two years ago and targeted a Games spot.

Wills and Polley are now taking some time to recuperate and reflect following their international season.

The O’Dea brothers will temporarily part ways, with Sam partnering German player Daniel Wernitz to tackle the German national tour, returning to New Zealand following the Asian tournament rounds in September.

Ben O’Dea has been nursing a shoulder injury for the past year. He will have surgery and remain in New Zealand for rehabilitation.

The brothers hope to join forces again for the New Zealand summer beach volleyball season.

Volleyball New Zealand chief executive Paul Cameron said both teams played well against strong opponents.

“We’re delighted the men could bring home a medal but we’re also very proud of our women’s team, who went undefeated in the preliminary rounds to top their pool and performed admirably in a challenging quarterfinal.”

He said the inclusion of beach volleyball at the Commonwealth Games provided an exciting pathway for the sport in New Zealand.

Beach volleyball countries in the Commonwealth would now push for the sport’s inclusion in the Birmingham Games of 2022.