Sibling rivalry boosts sisters into Olympics
Sisters Xsavier and Temyia Taiaroa admit to egging each other on in their sport, and as a result they are currently in Hawaii for the Inline Hockey Junior Olympics.
Xsavier, 16, is playing centre for the New Zealand under-18 women’s team, and Temyia, 14, is playing forward in the under14 New Zealand women’s team in the games, which start on July 6.
The Manawatu College girls have been skating round on roller blades with hockey sticks for about eight years. Their father is a keen inline hockey player, and ‘‘he brought us into it’’, Xsavier said.
Playing a less well-known sport was great because there were lots of opportunities, and ‘‘everyone who plays knows everyone and they all accept you,’’ she said.
It also has disadvantages — funding, and having to travel further to play, and ‘‘no one really knows about it’’.
Right now the sisters are playing for the New Plymouth Ravens, which keeps them busy.
‘‘It’s an all-year-round sport. We have games every week, and tournaments every month.’’
The games are tough — teams are usually co-ed, and the sport is pretty aggressive — like American ice hockey.
They also train at a Levin rink once a week and do off-rink training together each day. ‘‘We do boxing and go up Trig Hill [a popular walking track in Levin] walking — we have to go under 20 minutes, and I love running,’’ Temyia said.
Temyia was the faster of the two, Xsavier said, and a good portion of their staunch motivation came from the competitiveness between the two.
They train together well, and are close, but aren’t afraid of some ‘‘constructive criticism.’’
‘‘If she scores a goal, I have to score as well.‘‘
Both have played at inter- national level before. Xsavier was in the under-16 women’s team in 2014, which won gold at the Oceania games in Hamilton.
Temyia was in the winning under-16 womens’ team at the 2014 Oceania games, and then in 2015 in the winning under-14 womens’ in the Oceania games in Australia.
They agree that having that international experience boosted their game.
‘‘If I hadn’t played versus Australia, I wouldn’t have any idea about the level of competition, and the aggressiveness in the rink,’’ Xsavier said.