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Basketball coach. Leader. Fierce force.
She’s known for her fierce presence on the court - and now channels that energy into coaching the Northern Kāhu women’s basketball team.Her story is about showing up, staying strategic, and empowering young wāhine to own their strength.
What are some words you/others would use to describe you?
Well, I’m nearly 50 and people still describe me as very scary! And I think that's from playing basketball on the court. I was pretty fierce. Kindness is always coming up. My children would describe me as being very bossy! Colleagues would say refrained. Calculated. Strategic. Sticks to herself. Friends have described me as a great cook, very busy working, and eccentric.
How many children do you have?
I have three children. Three adult children that keep me very grounded.
What lights you up?
I love it when I see young women achieve a skill. I love seeing young women feel empowered about what they're doing on a daily. Happy, able to articulate themselves, feel confident.
What does being a Force of Nature mean to you?
The word force means to be unstoppable, and own who I am. Being a force set the reputation. And I wanted to win all the time. Playing basketball you have to fierce if you want to achieve at a high level.
What have been the highlights of your career so far?
As an athlete, it’s probably attending the Athens Olympics. Making it to the Olympics in my sport was a huge achievement. I had that dream at eight years old – I saw the LA Olympics and I wanted to go where those lights were. So that was an early childhood goal.
How did you make the switch to coaching?
It's not an easy journey. You have to go at it like a dog to a bone if you want to be good at something, especially coaching. It’s a very fickle world - you win one championship and then lose the next one. And I say you're as good as your last game. The transition was tough. But now that I've been through a big patch of my life coaching, I think it's one of the best things I ever could have chosen.
What does being a female leader in a male-dominated sport mean to you?
I don’t really think about it until it comes up, and then I go from 0 to 100 inside and realise there's so much work to be done for the narrative to change. And I play some part of that. I just hope to be a good role model for the next person coming behind me and do the piece I need to do so that it makes it a little bit easier for the next woman.
Can you tell us why the Northern Kāhu basketball team is so special?
The Kāhu’s owned by five very strong, highly driven, overachieving women. It’s special because it’s managed by women. It's for women. They’re women of culture, women of various ages. Women across the board can see themselves somewhere in Kāhu at all different levels. It’s not just about the game on the court, but it's about the whole environment. We want to leave a legacy, we want to create for the future.
What’s one item always in your coaching bag that has nothing to do with basketball?
Everybody knows that I love chocolate. You’ll find chocolate somewhere in my vicinity of my bag, in my pocket, in my bedroom, everywhere! I’m the Willy Wonka. Give me that bar and I’ll shovel it down.
How do you use the game to empower young women beyond basketball?
Starts with communication – having conversations around who they are, what they want to be outside of the game itself. Everybody gets taught the same thing, but each person brings their own uniqueness to it, their own flair. The game is just the vehicle. Everyone has the same goal - to win. And then inside that - the team sport – are individuals that want to succeed and have their own goals. So for me, it’s about treating each as an individual first, and then bringing them into the team.
If you had to give a halftime speech to the world’s women, what would you say?
I would say, just believe in yourself whatever you're thinking. Whatever that first thought is, is actually correct. That's what you should go with. You are right. You're absolutely right. And you don't need to ask anybody for permission.
What do you love most about basketball?
Basketball is just cool because you get to put something in the hoop. And there's just something about that swish going through the net. But it's also a great way to see others being happy and achieving – there’s movement, laughter, and success on the court.
What do you love most about coaching?
Just seeing the happiness, the excitement, the peace of mind, the relief after all the hard work. And the team – those that are behind the scenes – being happy that you’re getting something done, that people can align together on something really cool. I just love that you look around and can see everybody doing what they love.
What does success feel like to you?
When you are happy. When there’s a lot of peace of mind, and your heart is full.
How do you inspire your girls to become forces of nature?
My girls and my team, or any young girl I’m with, I think it starts with listening, so that they feel heard, acknowledged, that they're seen. That’s a really big part of what I try to do. And then I just want to build with them. Let’s dream together.
Can you name any other female forces of nature in your life?
I think my sisters. I don't spend much time with them, but they are amazing, beautiful, highly talented women, and I love what they do. My colleagues that I work with on a daily basis, the owners of the Kāhu basketball team. But my mum is THE force. Because she set the standard. Her expectations, in a positive way, on myself and the rest of the family were high, but not at the expense of us. More so empowering, I suppose. To just always go and get it. But my mum is THE force. Because she set the standard. Her expectations, in a positive way, on myself and the rest of the family were high, but not at the expense of us. More so empowering, I suppose. To just always go and get it.
When do you most feel like a force?
When I'm quite aligned with myself in being happy. Then I'm unstoppable. I think imitation comes from oneself and not in
any external thing.
What makes you feel comfortable in your skin?
Knowing that I have prepared well for something. Also, that I look good and feel good. Looking good helps me feel confident, I think is probably really important for me because then I'm comfortable. You're able to represent yourself in a better way. So I think it's really important.
What does your skincare ritual look like?
I'm very low maintenance on the skin routines, but I do use the Trilogy rosehip oil. I just want a big bottle in a spray can, so I can just put it everywhere. I love it.
What is your go to pre-game hype up song?
Dang. That is a good one. Haha… Ciara, Goodies!
