Passage to India
Manawatu¯ schoolgirl Rochelle Fourie is gunning to take down Australia at the women’s Asia championships in India.
The Manukura 16-year-old is in the New Zealand under-19 basketball team competing in Bengaluru this week. It is her first big trip overseas and she is looking forward to playing Australia. ‘‘It’s going to be really hard facing an Australian side because we always come close to them, but we haven’t beaten them. That’s the goal for the tournament.’’
They will also play Malaysia, Japan and China in pool play. Chinese Taipei, Indonesia and South Korea are also at the tournament.
‘‘It will be a big challenge.’’ When she found out she had been selected for New Zealand, her friend ran into her class and started screaming. ‘‘It was a bit overwhelming,’’ Fourie said.
She missed out on selection for the under-17 World Cup team this year, but was picked for the under-19s instead off the back of her performance at national and regional competitions this year. The year 12 student was in the national under-16 team last year and went on New Zealand’s trip to Australia the year before.
She said she had been working on her fitness, strength and improving her skills.
Fourie has played basketball for four years, but has also played netball since she was a child and is a top netball shooter. She played Manawatu¯ rep basketball at under-17 and under23 level, as well as under-17 and under-19 rep netball for Manawatu¯ .
But basketball may be the path she follows. ‘‘I want to go play for the Tall Ferns. I want to go to the United States after high school and after that play for the Tall Ferns.’’
Fourie was born in South Africa, but grew up in Whangarei, then moved to Palmerston North.
She praised the coaching work of Joe Frost, Tia Temata-frost and Shaani Temata-frost for getting her where she is.