Netball: Whanau factor key to moulding template

Crystal Jessup with daughter Kiana Jessup-Tahau, who won the Unison Player of the Day award last night. Photo/Duncan Brown

A mother is in many respects the biological and emotional GPS system for their daughters on the road to accomplishment.

Conversely, the daughters often tend to follow in their mothers' footprints on the sand with almost the same enthusiasm as youngsters finding an old treasure map in a shoebox in the garage.

The Paharakeke Sports Club in Hawke's Bay may not have anticipated such a deep and meaningful route but their predominantly mother-and-daughter netball teams embrace similar values.

"Most of us are Flaxmere born and raised and we're proud of that," says Crystal Jessop, who belongs to the mothers' team, Mana Wahine (strong women).

"Even though there are negative things out there we want people to know we're doing a lot of positive things, too," says Jessup whose daughter, Kiana Jessup-Tahau, 12, plays for the club's Marei Kura (shining stars) team comprising 11 to 15-year-olds.

The teams finished on top of the Bay grading tournament last weekend to gain promotion.

Mana Wahine, who lost 26-12 to Koru Cruizers in last year's grade seven, beat their cousins and nieces, Pakipaki, last weekend to move to grade six.

Marei Kura, with Jessup-Tahau as their captain and midcourter, jumped a rung from grade eight to seven at the weekend after losing in last year's final to Clive by an agonising goal.

"In grade seven this year Marei Kura will play against their aunties and cousins [Pakipaki].

"We just couldn't afford to lose on Saturday because we would have ended up in the same grade as our daughters," explains Jessup, who is a kai awhina (daycare teacher) at the Te Kupenga A Te Huki A Te Kohanga Reo in Pakipaki.

Asked who would have won had the two teams found themselves in the same grade, a laughing Jessup says: "Us. We have some pretty tall towers and they have some shorties.

"They have youth and speed but we're the wise old ones."

When laughter subsides, the mother acknowledges it's only a matter of time before their adroit offspring in the Tash Hau-coached side surpass them with the exuberance of youth and growth spurts.

"I'd give them two years. I'd love to say one but we can't go too fast."

Marei Kura have four representatives in Jessup-Tahau (Bay year 8 midcourter), Alayh Ahomiro (Hastings year 8 midcourter/defender), Renee Karaitiana, (Hastings year 8 midcourter) and Liana Mikele-Tuu (Hastings year 8 defender).

Last night Jessup-Tahau received the Unison Player of the Day award in the school competition.

The club has a third team, Toa (champions), comprising Eastern Institute of Technology nursing students, who Lisa Pohatu coaches.

"They [Toa and Marei Kura] enjoy training together so it keeps them fit and healthy," says Jessup, mindful of the detrimental effects of electronic gadgets and junk food on young.

For the record, Mana Wahine do not train.

"They have natural talent so they are used to playing alongside each other once they step out to give it a go," she says of the mothers' team her sister, Charlene Jessup, manages.

The sisters played for the Pakipaki club in 2012 when they won the grade seven bragging rights but now Charlene wants to focus on managing.

The following year the Jessup sisters put the word out about forming teams with a whanau feel.

"We were mates for years at Flaxmere College and Hastings Girls' High School where we played rugby and rugby league," says Crystal Jessup of the Pohatu-captained side who are cousins, nieces and kohanga reo parents in their 20s and 30s.

The fledgling club started with touch and basketball teams before the advent of netball two years ago.