Far North teen Kaia Derbyshire to compete in international volleyball events

Kerikeri’s Kaia Derbyshire is heading overseas twice this year to compete in international volleyball tournaments. Photo / Jenny Ling

Sheer hard work combined with plenty of spectacular spikes and ace serves have sealed a Far North teenager’s spot in two international volleyball competitions.

Kerikeri’s Kaia Derbyshire is headed to Canada and Thailand to showcase her skills during two separate competitions this year.

The 16-year-old was recently selected for the AMP Aotearoa Māori Poirewa U18 Volleyball team to travel to Canada for the All Nations Indigenous Volleyball series in July.

She has also been selected for the AMP U16 squad to travel to Thailand for the Asian qualifier’s tournament in September.

Derbyshire said she was “excited” to be travelling overseas, especially as the only other time was to Fiji when she visited family and competed in an ocean swimming race, aged 9.

“It’s going to be really fun,” she said.

“It’s kind of scary because it’s pressure - but in the end, I’m going to enjoy it.”

Mum Trudy Derbyshire, left, is proud of her daughter Kaia, who is smashing it in the world of volleyball. Photo / Jenny Ling

Derbyshire, a Kerikeri High School student, is a successful ocean swimmer who came first in her age group at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Open Water Championships at Mount Maunganui in 2022.

She took up volleyball in Year 9 after being inspired by her mum Trudy Derbyshire who played at a high level for North Harbour as a teenager.

The pair now travel to North Harbour for coaching under Kiana Stevenson, a beach and indoor player who just won the NZ Beach Tour and gained bronze at the Commonwealth Youth Games in women’s beach volleyball in Trinidad and Tobago in 2023.

Kaia Derbyshire participates in beach and indoor volleyball.

Derbyshire also trains in Kerikeri with coach Tui Papanui, and at home on the front lawn with her mum.

Trudy said her daughter’s hard work is paying off and she is really looking forward to her first international sporting tournaments.

“She’s just an all-round, genuine kid who really enjoys sport.

“She’s really grounded; I’m proud of how humble she is but also how hard she works.”

Kaia is excited to be travelling overseas later this year for two international volleyball competitions.

Derbyshire also took part in the two-day New Zealand U19 beach training camp held at North Harbour in January.

More recently, she competed in the NZ Beach Tour in Mount Maunganui from January 31 to February 2 with her volleyball partner Keira Webster.

In her spare time, Derbyshire coaches an adult beach team in Kerikeri and also helps her mum coach interested players at Kerikeri High School.

She has completed level 1 and 2 coaching courses from Volleyball New Zealand.

Jenny Ling is a senior journalist at the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering human interest stories, along with roading, lifestyle, business, and animal welfare issues.