Sam BennettsI came to be a kiwi korfer almost 7 years ago when it was introduced into my intermediate school. I have just continued to play throughout the years having a korfsome time. Representing New Zealand is an experience very few people get to have and to be able to do it for a second time is just as wild as the first. It's a feeling of pride yet pressure. Pride of wearing that black fern and knowing you are playing at the highest level but pressure to not fault and let down the country at the great sport of korfball. My goal for the tour is to have fun!
Matthew HannenI started playing Korfball for school at the Friday night competition in early 2017 and was later on invited to the NZ training camps as a part of the wider squad. After just under a year of training I was selected to the travelling team. It's such an exciting opportunity to represent NZ and a major privilege as not many people get the chance! To do it with an awesome team is even better. We have worked hard to get here so it means a lot to be a part of it. I want to make the most of this trip, have fun and compete the best I can. While having an awesome overseas experience, learning as much as I can from it. Shout out to the brothers, Russ, Corey, Paul, Melo, Big Steve and Dre. Thunder up!
Boris Van BruchemI have played Korfball for many years now, from a young age. My parents introduced it to me and have played in Christchurch ever since. I was fortunate enough to have gone on the trip to Holland in 2015 with the last U19 team, so I have been involved before. It is really surreal to be representing New Zealand. Not many people get an opportunity to represent their country and for me to able able to do this is very humbling. I feel privileged and will do my best for New Zealand. My personal goal for this tour is to play as hard as I can with complete focus every game. I want to look back on this trip and be proud of myself.
Aylah Peterson My journey to become a part of this team began with my physical education class. Rosa, our coach, was also my PhysEd teacher at Greymouth High School during the time of the squad selection. We were taking a standard in her class based around learning Korfball. A few weeks after the standard had finished I received a email from her inviting me to the first training camp to select the beginning squad. To represent New Zealand is one of the most rewarding and exciting experiences I think anyone could endure. It’s something I would say most young sports players would aspire to do one day, it was definitely something I always wanted to achieved, and to do so at eighteen makes me so happy and proud to represent myself, my family and my country. My goal for this tour is to gain as much korfball experience and culture within the country it originated from. I want to gain the rest of my team as lifelong friends and bring back to Greymouth as much knowledge of korfball as I can to help develop the sport. I want to take in as much Dutch culture as I possibly can and witness all the amazing things that we might not be able to experience in New Zealand.
Chelsea RuizI was part of the previous U19 squad. Fortunately, I was invited to the training camps for this squad again. It is a great privilege to represent New Zealand again as it is an opportunity not many people my age get to have. We have worked really hard to be where we are now and we hope we make NZ proud. I'm hoping our team finishes in the top 8 int he tournament. In addition to that, I want to be a better player by learning as much as possible, from our coaches, guest coaches and the games we get to play here.
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Sam ColdicottI became part of this team as bit of a late addition but it all started when a couple of friends from school asked if I would be interested in playing and from there I just continued playing and here I am. To represent New Zealand is a great pleasure in which I hope to make myself and others back home proud. On this tour I want to be able to experience all that this side of the world has to offer as well as to improve myself as a korfball player.
Alastair KeleghanI came to be a part of this team when the captain Sam was making a Christs College team to play in the South Island Secondary Schools tournament. We ended up winning the tournament and I was asked to trial for the New Zealand squad. However, after the first round of cuts I was dropped from the team, but I continued to play in all the school tournaments, and ended up only loosing one game to burnside in a pool game before beating them in golden goal in the final. Then the college team went on to win 4 straight titles. After these I was invited back into the team and stayed ever since. To represent my country in my second sport is a real honour. This time in a team environment instead of an individual one is a different experience that I am loving. To wear the fern again is a real treat and an experience I will treasure forever. My personal goal for this tour is to continue to improve my Korfball skills and immerse myself in the culture.
Olivia AndersonAfter the disappointment of my High School Korfball team not scraping together enough numbers to go to the South Island Tournament in 2016, I thought my korfball experience would be short-lived. Then I received a letter saying that I had been invited to trial for the U19 New Zealand Korfball Squad and this gave me new hope. I thought I would just try it to see if I like it, which I did! I never thought I would be able to represent New Zealand in a sport so it has always been a distant dream of mine. Korfball has left me with an amazing opportunity to represent NZ and a huge amount of mana within myself, my family and where I come from. My goal for this tour is to develop my personal skills as an individual player and within my team and to take every opportunity with both hands.
Michelle ScottIk weet nog de eerste keer dat we korfbal speelden. Youri was op onze school om ons over de sport korfbal te vertellen. Toen ik zag hoe Youri de bal in de korf schoot, was het liefde op het eerste gezicht. Niet met Youri, maar met korfbal. Na veel maanden getraind te hebben, werd ik geselecteerd voor het Nieuw-Zeelandse korfbal team U19. Mijn doel voor deze reis naar Nederland is om van alles het beste te maken, plezier te hebben en een betere korfbalspeelster te worden. Het is een eer om Nieuw-Zeeland te kunnen vertegenwoordigen. Het is een kans om niet te laten liggen en ik zal deze ervaring nooit vergeten.
Kennedy VallanceI started playing korfball during high school over a year and a half ago. From there I went through the same selection phases as my team mates and I made the travelling squad. Representing my country alongside my team is an honour, I hope we make ourselves and our country proud. My personal goal for this tournament is to reach my full potential, making the most of every moment on and off the court. I would like to learn from other people and teams to increase my korfball knowledge.
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Calib GurdenI had to do an assessment for school about a game I've never played before and learn how to play it. After that I decided I loved the sport and we made a team to play in the South Island Tournament. From this I was selected to be a part of this team. It feels amazing to represent NZ, not a lot of people get to do it. My person goal for this tour is to have fun, do well and experience another country.
Ned LesterI discovered Korfball in High School, just after the last New Zealand U19 team had competed in the U19 World Cup. When my friends from that team came back saying how amazing it all was, then I knew it was something I wanted to be a part of next time. The fact that I am representing New Zealand is feeling increasingly real as the journey progresses. To be competing in a world championship is amazing and I'm looking forward to competing with the world's best. In this tour I want to play to a level indicative of the effort I've put into training. In order to apply all the skills I've learnt in a game, I will need to maintain a high level of focus throughout the tournament.
Talesha BrooksDuring High School I did Korfball as part of my curriculum, I then found out about the school team a little bit before the South Island Tournament. I got selected as part of the tournament team in which I played. During the tournament I got invited into the Canterbury U19 Korfball Squad. About 8 months later I was invited to trial for the New Zealand U19 Korfball Squad and I was selected. I was then selected as part of the 14 travelling members to travel to the Netherlands. To represent my country is a great feeling and such an honour. I really am lucky to be able to have this opportunity. My personal goal for this tour is to make the most out of this experience, give 100%, take every opportunity that I get and be able to gain knowledge from other players around the world to be able to improve myself as a player.
Juliet RobertsonAfter starting korfball in year 8 with the one and only Rob Smith, I've really committed myself to the sport and making this team was an awesome part of my korfball journey. I'm so excited to be wearing the Silver Fern again and am really hyped about the tournament. I know we will do NZ proud. I'd love for a top 8 finish, but my main goal is that everyone has an amazing time, learns lots and come home enthused to play more korfball and up our game even more!
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