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Otago Daily Times
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Closet Kiwi excited about call-up to Black Sticks
They claim Rebecca Gibney, Russell Crowe, Keith Urban and Jane Campion. But we have nabbed one back. Rookie Black Stick Nina Murphy is a fair dinkum Aussie. She is a Gold Coast girl. She has the faded tan and twang to show for it. But the 19-year-old has parents from Palmerston North, and that makes her as Kiwi as jandals rather than thongs. This year, she shifted over to study health science at the University of Otago. While her education was the main reason for the move, hockey remains important to her. "I came over here with the intention to continue playing hockey and to keep trying," she said. "Back in Australia, I was playing hockey quite competitively as well. So I definitely wanted to keep doing that. "But obviously, I had no idea what was going to happen with it and definitely wasn't expecting a Black Sticks call-up." Murphy has represented Australia at under-18 level, and the midfielder impressed for the Alpiners during the junior hockey league. It was during that tournament she caught the attention of the national selectors. That tournament also helped reignite her spark. "Playing a different style of hockey, I don't know, it has just kind of got me excited about it all over again." The selectors are excited, too. Murphy was named in the Black Sticks squad to tour the United States. The first of three tests is on July 3. The series is an important part of the preparation for the Oceania Cup, where the Black Sticks will battle Australia for direct qualification to the 2026 Hockey World Cup. Should Murphy do well, she could find herself playing against her country. "I need to earn my spot in the team before even thinking about making the call back for that sort of tournament because, obviously, I'm fresh to the team and this will be my debut. "So my focus will be just this American trip and trying to play the best I can." That said, she has enjoyed connecting with her heritage and has been a longtime closet Kiwi. "I've always sort of had like a calling. Sounds a bit cliched, but a calling towards New Zealand. "I always felt somewhat like a New Zealander. When New Zealand would play Australia in sport — like the All Blacks versus the Wallabies — I'd always support the All Blacks." And that, of course, is the ultimate litmus test when it comes to national allegiance. Well, that, and eating pavlova while listening to Crowded House.
Otago Daily Times
31-05-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
McCaws support youth social media ban
Hāwea Flat's newest celebrity residents, the McCaw family, are rallying in support of a social media ban for youth. Former Black Stick Gemma McCaw and husband Richie McCaw are backing the B416 campaign as they run a tight ship in their own home when it comes to using technology. The campaign began as a way of validating the government's proposed Bill to restrict social media use for children under 16, following Australia's recently adopted legislation. Mrs McCaw gave a strong endorsement to the campaign this month when she attended the B416 launch in Auckland. She said as a mother of three young girls aged between 2 and 6years old, this was an issue close to her heart. For her, it was not just about banning social media for under-16s. She felt a fundamental shift was needed in the way technology was used in the home for both parents and children. "We can't tell our kids to get off their devices if we're not willing to do it ourselves. "... For Richie and I, we just want to be really intentional with our own use," she said. She believed the overuse of phones was contributing to a decline in people's mental health, and children needed extra protection. "It's just the unfiltered access on the internet that's really, really harmful, and that's kind of my worry," she said. Having moved to Hāwea Flat last year, Mrs McCaw said there was more opportunity to implement healthier choices for her children as there was a stronger sense of community and a plethora of outdoor activities. The proposed member's Bill would require social media companies to put a system in place designed to verify a user was over 16 years old. It is unclear what the verification process would look like or which platforms would be included in the ban, as the government works with Education Minister Erica Stanford to better direct the final Bill. Other members of the Hāwea and Wānaka community were equally supportive of the campaign. Hāwea parent Alex Walton said the campaign was important for parents who were struggling to manage their children's social media use. "It gives that reassurance to parents that we're all on the same page here ... It sparks that discussion around 'what measures are safe?' and 'what boundaries do we want to put in place?'," she said. One of the social media features Ms Walton was concerned about was youths seeing their friends on social media in real time. It created a sense of exclusion, as young people could see their friends taking part in activities they were not included in. Christchurch educator and founder of Little Kiwis Nature Play, Celia Hogan, gave a talk on Monday at the Wānaka Community Hub, exploring how smartphones could shape childhoods. As part of her organisation's work, she has held workshops on how to engage children outdoors and keep them safe online. "We've got increased mental health and wellbeing issues. We've got safety concerns on screens. And a lot of us parents didn't grow up with screens in that way." She was an advocate for not only B416 but also the Smartphone Free Childhood campaign, a movement that started last year. It was started by United Kingdom mothers Daisy Greenwell and Clare Fernyhough, who were passionate about delaying their children's smartphone use. This made its way to New Zealand and there are now ambassadors across the country helping raise awareness of the dangers associated with early smartphone use.
Otago Daily Times
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Tough time on the training turf
Sports reporter Sam Coughlan has trained in the boxing ring, been pummelled at rugby union and league practices, and had rings run around him at football and netball training. In the final part of the series, he hits the hockey turf to train with the Marist premier team Of all the sports I've tried so far, I think I felt the least comfortable playing hockey. It didn't help that the skill level was much higher than in the other sports – instead of regular club players, I found myself alongside several athletes who have either represented or are tipped to represent the Black Sticks. So, it's no surprise I struggled. It took me a while just to figure out how to pick up and hold the stick properly and control the ball. We began with a warm-up of bear crawls, short bounds, and skips, before moving into a brutal sprint drill. Starting on our knees, we had to spring up – which is harder than it sounds – and sprint to a line. After several reps, knees aching from the turf, we did the same thing but turning at the line to sprint back to the start. My lack of turf shoes comes back to bite me, losing my footing on several occasions. Finally let loose with a stick, I try to find my technique taking penalty corners, flicking the ball to a player at the edge of the circle. After a couple of poor attempts, I received some tips on technique – it helps when your teacher is Black Stick Charlie Morrison, a key player for Marist. Next, I tried shooting – experimenting with drag flicks, regular flicks, and even trying to give it a golf-style whack. None were successful. Most shots dribbled wide or went straight to the keeper – if I connected with the ball at all. A later drill, where a midfielder passes to a winger who then sets up a striker to score, boosted my confidence. I've worked out how to control the ball and play a pass, although getting much power behind any shots is proving difficult. When the team began a half-field game, I was advised to sit it out. Probably wise, considering my tiny football shin pads, lack of a mouthguard, and just 30 minutes of hockey under my belt. Watching the teams clash proved thrilling. The ease and accuracy with which they moved the ball was incredible, especially compared to my clumsy, off-target efforts. Like with every other sport I've thrown myself into, I loved the challenge of trying something new and picking up a few basic skills, even if it's abundantly clear I'm so far off the pace it isn't funny.
