Stuff Digital Edition

New Phoenix signing proud to fly flag for M¯aori

Phillip Rollo

Te Reremoana Walker had no other choice but to play football growing up.

Now she is hoping to have a long career in the game, and inspire a new generation of Ma¯ ori footballers along the way.

The 17-year-old midfielder has signed with the Wellington Phoenix ahead of their debut season in the A-League Women’s competition.

Walker (Nga¯ ti Haua¯ /Nga¯ puhi) was born in Dunedin but has spent most of her life living in Australia, after her family moved to Hallidays Point in northern New South Wales when she was five.

Walker said football was the only sport on offer when she was a kid growing up in the coastal town, so she gave it a go and fell in love straight away. ‘‘I’ve loved soccer ever since I was little,’’ she said.

As it turned out, she was quite good too.

After swiftly rising through the ranks in NSW, the player, who described herself as a ‘‘thinker’’ on the field due to her awareness and creativity, was invited to join the Newcastle Jets Academy and has been knocking on the door for an A-League chance ever since.

So she was thrilled when Phoenix coach Gemma Lewis came calling and asked if Walker would be interested in joining the team for its inaugural season, for which it will be based in NSW.

Although Walker has spent most of her life living on the other side of the Tasman and speaks with a strong Australian accent, she has not forgotten her New Zealand roots.

She captained the New Zealand under-17 women’s team on a tour to China in 2019 and was invited to train with the Football Ferns prior to the Tokyo Olympics.

Walker said an appearance for the Aotearoa Ma¯ ori Women’s team was another career highlight.

‘‘That was one of my favourite teams I’ve played in because we’re all Ma¯ ori and it was just good to get back and connect with my Ma¯ ori side,’’ Walker said.

As a professional footballer, Walker said she hoped to be a role model for Ma¯ ori girls back in New Zealand.

‘‘I’m quite honoured to be one of the only Ma¯ori players that are playing professionally and I hope I can be an idol for some of the Ma¯ ori girls that don’t necessarily play soccer,’’ she said, ‘‘because I know it’s not a big playing sport in that community, but I hope I can make an impact.’’

Walker is the 11th Kiwi player to join the Phoenix, filling their New Zealand player quota for season one.

Her signing was confirmed this week alongside promising Australian pair, defender Cushla Rue and midfielder Isabel Gomez, who are both 18 and products of the Football NSW Institute.

Walker, Rue and Gomez will link up with the rest of the Phoenix A-League Women squad when the New Zealand-based players arrive in NSW next week.

Sport

en-nz

2021-10-27T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-10-27T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://stuff.pressreader.com/article/282183654260859

Stuff Limited