Jorja Miller’s dream edges closer
Timaru’s Jorja Miller continues to make a name for herself, earning nominations in both the Canterbury and South Canterbury Sport Awards.
Miller, 17, was named a Young Sportsperson of the Year at the recent Trust Aoraki South Canterbury Sports Awards, and was also nominated for the Outstanding Young Sportswoman of the Year at the Sport Canterbury Awards 2021 last month.
This year both sports organisations implemented a change to tradition and recognised the success of every nominee in the young sportsperson category in the awards, instead of singling out one winner.
Inspired by her father and brother, Miller started playing rugby at the age of 4 for Harlequins in Timaru.
Later, she switched to playing rugby with the girls and was a part of the Timaru girls’ school team.
She was an integral part in every South Canterbury age group rugby team up to the age of 13.
In order to gain more match exposure, Miller went boarding at Christchurch Girls’ High School.
She is the school’s openside flanker, and is in her last year of school.
In 2020, she was judged the most valuable player at the New Zealand Condors School 7s and 2019 World Condors School 7s.
Known for her agility and fearless tackling abilities, Miller wants to make it big and don the New Zealand jersey.
‘‘I hope to be a Black Fern one day and also want to inspire the younger generation and girls to take up rugby.’’
She also trains with the Canterbury rugby high performance group and plays women’s rugby for the High School Old Boys club and continues to be a part of the Black Ferns Sevens’ wider training squad.