Whangārei Girls' High School student Kelena Roughan will travel to Vietnam with the New Zealand Junior Women's volleyball team. PHOTO/VOLLEYBALL NZ
Vietnam is the next stop for up and coming volleyball star Kelena Roughan.
The 17-year-old Whangārei Girls' High School student has impressed since taking up the sport five years ago.
She now heads to Bac Ninh Province, Vietnam, to contest the Asian Women's Under 19 Volleyball Championship in early June.
Roughan said it was an emotional call-up for her.
"I am very excited, really nervous but looking forward to it. It's going to be an incredible experience," she said.
"When I found out I made the team I went and told mum and dad straight away and burst into tears. It's going to be a bit scary going away for two weeks but definitely looking forward to it.
"I haven't made it past the Pacific Islands and Australia with volleyball. It's going to be a whole new experience."
New Zealand haven't finished higher than sixth before at the tournament, with their last trip resulting in a 14th placed finish.
Roughan made the squad after a series of training camps, which comprised mainly of drills, coaching and games.
She will fill the specialised role of libero in the side and said it requires a bit of speed and skill.
"The libero is solely a back court player and I substitute on usually for a middle row player who's moving to the back court," she said.
"You've got to be fast and a good passer to play the position.
"At school I was a passer/hitter which is pretty much the spiker. With the national side I'm a libero."
Roughan picked up the sport when she was 13 after she and her friends saw the code advertised in the school notices.
That began a love affair with the sport for the WGHS senior captain.
"I was in Year 9 and I saw a notice for lunchtime volleyball training. My friends and I said 'why not' and checked it out to see what it was like," she said.
"I fell in love with it right from the start and had a great connection with my first coach (Lenna Milton).
"I played with the junior school side in Year 9 and the following year she asked me to play for the senior team and I went to my first nationals that year."
Roughan, like many athletes, pays a lot of mind to the work her coaches have put in over the years.
Between Milton and Grant Harrison, Roughan has been given great advice in how to improve her game to the point that national selection beckoned.
Roughan said their influence on her was integral to her development.
"She [Milton] was the one who got me into the sport in the first place," she said.
"When I made the national team and told her, the first thing she said to me 'from when I first saw you in the gym I said she will be a New Zealand libero' and she was absolutely right. She taught me everything I know.
"Grant stepped in when Lenna left the setup. He coached NZ women's teams previously and had a lot of experience. He helped my development in my last year at WGHS and helped me get funding for my Vietnam trip.
"I wouldn't be where I am now without my coaches."
The tournament begins in Vietnam on June 10 with a match against Malaysia. But the trip to Southeast Asia could just be the start for Roughan.
"In New Zealand we have age group teams up to under 23s but, other than that, there aren't a heap of options here," she said.
"I've been talking to an American scout and seeing what opportunities there are with an American university.
"I don't know exactly what I want to do but I'd love to head overseas and take volleyball with me."
Mea Motu will finally get a shot to add to her world title collection.