KIRIAU LOVING LATEST STOP ON HER JOURNEY
IT has been a well-travelled basketball road for new Seahawks women’s signing Kayla Kiriau.
Kiriau, 24, brings a wealth of international experience to the North Gold Coast program, a key trait as the franchise heads into a maiden QBL campaign.
The athletic point guard will aim to make an impact in the league once again, after a successful rookie campaign in 2017 with the Gladstone Port City Power.
Prior to that, Kiriau had US college stints at Sheridan College (Wyoming) from 2011-2013 and Point Park University (Pennsylvania) from 2013-2015.
She graduated from Point Park in 2015 with a Bachelor of Business degree with a major in Human Resource Management.
Before she made the move to the US, Kiriau was a member of the New Zealand Under-16 and Under-18 national squads and learnt the game initially through the Hoop Club program in Wellington.
“I’m excited to be able to live and play on the Gold Coast,” Kiriau said.
“The Seahawks club is well run and the quality of its staff and volunteers is exceptional.
“(Coach) Rob Sleaford is a great women’s coach so I’m expecting our team to be very competitive – even though it’s the first year at this (QBL) level”.
While continuing to compete in the QBL, Kiriau hopes to pursue a career in sport programming and mentoring females to achieve their athletic goals.
“I’d like to work closely with girls to put them on a path to success – both in sport and in life,” Kiriau said.
Also, Kiriau aims to make a run at selection to the New Zealand national team in the medium term but understands that playing on the international stage requires big sacrifices.
“For me to gain a spot on the Tall Ferns (women’s national team) I will need to consistently be one of the leading playmakers in the QBL and become a fitter and more physically conditioned athlete,” she said.
The first home doubleheader for the Seahawks will be against Brisbane Capitals on Saturday, May 5, at Runaway Bay Indoor Stadium.