Fakahokotau’s leap of faith pays off

Two years ago, Temalisi Fakahokotau boarded a flight to Christchurch at her lowest ebb.

After a subpar 2016 season with her hometown Northern Mystics, Fakahokotau was well down the pecking order for New Zealand defenders and frustrated with netball.

Having made a whirlwind start to her career, where she played two tests for the Silver Ferns in her first elite season in 2014, she’d run into a brick wall.

Fakahokotau had a now-or-never moment and realised something needed to change.

The born-and-bred Aucklander, who is from a tight-knit Tongan family of eight siblings and eight nieces and nephews, knew she had to get out.

She made the tough Temalisi decision to pack her Fakahokotau bags and take up an opportunity with the struggling Mainland Tactix in Christchurch.

Fast forward the clock to 2018 and how things are different.

Fakahokotau is a Silver Ferns starter, the best goal keep in the country, and in the form of her life.

The Tactix, for so long the laughing stock of New Zealand netball, are also on the cusp of the finals for the first time.

‘‘It has been crazy. I knew in order for me to love the sport and find the passion again I had to move out of Auckland.

‘‘The toughest thing I could ever do is move away from my family, seeing my nieces and nephews grow up as well. I miss out on so much. They mean so much to me.’’

It took a nudge from brother, Sione, for Fakahokotau to allow herself to be selfish and put netball first.

Victory in their final round game, against the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic, in Hamilton on Monday would set up an all-South Island elimination final (two versus three) against the Southern Steel in Invercargill on August 8. United States-based New Zealand volleyball coach Hugh McCutcheon has been voted into the sport’s international hall of fame.

The 48-year-old, from Cnristchurch, led the United States men’s team to gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, before following that up with a silver medal with the USA women’s team at the London Games in 2012.

McCutcheon will be inducted into the hall of fame on November 10 at a ceremony in Holyoke, Massachusetts – known as the birthplace of volleyball.

McCutcheon is the first Kiwi to be inducted into the volleyball hall of fame.