Basketball: Aroha's doing it for the kids

Rotorua basketballer Aroha Haumaha (right) in action at the New Zealand Maori trials in Rotorua.

Wanting to be an inspiration to her daughter and nieces is the major motivator for basketballer Aroha Haumaha to try and make the New Zealand Maori squad.

There isn't too much Haumaha hasn't achieved on a basketball court, but with the end of the national basketball season and an ankle which needs an operation - you'd think putting your hand up to play for the New Zealand Maori team would be the last thing on the 27-year-old's mind.

But you'd be wrong. In fact it has only fuelled the mother of one who has played basketball for the University of Memphis, college basketball for Dodge City Community College in Kansas and for the New Zealand women's Tall Ferns. And she won't let anything hold her back.

"Another factor for me to make the Maori [team] was after I had my daughter, I hadn't made the Tall Ferns...

"One of my goals was to try and make the Tall Ferns to inspire my daughter and nieces and whanau to show that anything is possible, that you can make a national team after having a baby," Haumaha said.

"And making this Maori team is the same thing for me. I think it is such an honour to represent my iwi and represent Maori..."

The Tuhoe/Te Arawa descendant who has balanced motherhood and teaching at Te Kura Kaupapa o Te Koutu, was one of the standouts at the New Zealand Maori Basketball North versus South Challenge held at the Rotorua Energy Events Center at the weekend.

Rotorua Basketball Association president Darrell Pene told the Rotorua Daily Post it was only Haumaha's conditioning which needed some work.

"She didn't play as well as she can play. Just lacking fitness, that's all... But I'd say she should make the team. "

Haumaha was part of the North women's squad who had a narrow 65-64 win over their South counterparts and said, Darrell along with his wife Sue, were always encouraging her to achieve her goals.

"They encouraged me and made sure every week and whenever they saw me they told me to make sure I went along to the trials' and they are always encouraging me to excel at my goals."

Haumaha said she would find out in a few weeks whether she would make the team to play in the Oceania championships later on this year in Porirua. The squad will take on teams from Guam, Fiji and New Caledonia.