Netball: Schoolgirl makes NZ Maori cull for trips

Hawke's Bay goal shoot Kelsey McPhee will play for two Aotearoa Maori netball teams this month. Photo / Paul Taylor

Kelsey McPhee has often been the prankster in the various Hawke's Bay netball teams she has played in.

"Because I came from Kereru I used to be quite shy when I first played sport. Taking the piss out of people was one way of coming out of my shell," the Napier Girls' High School goal shoot recalled.

This week McPhee has been the target of a few jokes from some of her mates. They've been asking her how a player with blond hair and blue eyes can make the Aotearoa Maori Secondary Schools and under-19 teams.

"I'm going to be the only white girl in both teams but I qualify through mum who is quarter Maori," McPhee explained.

It's fair to say McPhee will find learning the teams' waiata He Honore and Toia Mai more challenging than coming to grips with the respective teams' game plans.

She travels to Kuala Lumpur on Sunday to prepare for the eight-team, five-day Bukit Jalil Sports Schools Under-19 Challenge. This team will be coached by former Silver Fern Te Aroha Keenan. On her return she will have a 10-day break before going into camp with the Aotearoa Maori under-19 team to prepare for the May 26-29 transtasman Under-19 tournament where her NGHS teammate, midcourter Kimiora Poi, will be playing for the New Zealand Secondary Schools team.

"Making these two Maori teams is the highlight of my netball career to date. It certainly made up for not getting a New Zealand Secondary Schools trial this year," McPhee, who will be one of three players in action for both, said.

The Hawke's Bay under-19 representative will be the only Bay player in both Maori teams. The Aotearoa side will be one of two teams in Kuala Lumpur with Kiwi players and the other will contain a combination of New Zealand-based and Fiji-based Fijians.

"It's my first overseas trip so I'm pretty excited. I see it as another step towards my long-term goal of being selected in the Central Pulse ANZ Championship team," McPhee said.

A tournament team selection at last year's national under-17 tournament, McPhee, was selected to attend six coaching sessions earlier this year as part of the Pathway to Pulse programme.

The 2014 Rob Guildford Memorial Trust scholarship recipient said the sessions were tough but beneficial.

McPhee has been no stranger to pain this season as she has been nagged by a hip injury she is confident of shaking off before boarding her flight on Sunday.

Because of her international assignment McPhee will miss her NGHS team's commitments next week.

NGHS will play in the Hawke's Bay secondary schools competition as well as the Bay's Super Six club competition this season.

McPhee will leave school at the end of this year and intends to have a gap year before she begins applying for Police College in Wellington.

"Hopefully I'll be successful and that means I will be in Wellington and can stay on track for Pulse selection," McPhee said.

Next week's tournament, where she will be up against international competition, will help her gauge where she is at in her quest.

Needless to say any Pulse scouts checking out footage from the event won't have too much difficulty spotting her.