High serve of success for Shaydene
Shaydene Begovich keeps hitting them high.
The Matamata College year 12 student played in the U17 North Island volleyball team, coached by Andrew Kilham, which recently returned from a six-day tournament in Brisbane, placing second to Queensland.
A highlight for the the team was playing in the stadium where the 2018 Commonwealth Games gymnastics events will take place, as the Gold Coast prepares to host the major sport event.
‘‘It was an amazing venue,’’ says Kilham. ‘‘This was one of the first big events held there.’’
The team played all the Australia states in the U17 top division.
The U17 team was only formed just prior to the Brisbane tournament but Shaydene says she was very happy with how the players supported one another on the court.
Despite being humble, Shaydene was able to admit she was happy with her own performance as well.
‘‘At times you feel you can do better, but most of the time I felt I played well.’’
‘‘I was very proud of Shaydene and the whole team,’’ says Kilham. ‘‘I thought we gave them (Queensland) a hell of a match in the final,’’ he says.
Shaydene plays in the Matamata College Senior A volleyball team and has a string of successes behind her, in both indoor and beach volleyball tournaments.
Two such accolades include travelling to Vanuatu in December 2015 for beach volleyball, where she and her team mate Maya Dickson, from New Plymouth, placed first.
She was also in the New Zealand team who placed first in a test series last year, beating Australia.
‘‘I like beach volleyball more, it’s less pressure, but indoor is more of a team effort and you have to work together to get the points,’’ she says.
Shaydene’s next big goal is to play at the Asian Champs in Thailand.
As for long term goals, Shaydene would like to secure a volleyball scholarship in the United States after she completes school. However she won’t start exploring her options until next year.
Shaydene has also been nominated for Junior Sportsperson of the Year, in the Matamata-Piako Sports Awards.