An old love call young mums back to the court

In a past life Suzie McAsey was known as Suzie Easterbrook, the multi-talented sportswoman who was particularly handy on the volleyball court, and Lenna Milton was good enough to be a provincial representative in both netball and volleyball.
Some things have changed, not least the fact that both McAsey and Milton are now mothers and entwined in the daily multitude of tasks babies bring.
But some things have not. McAsey is still the same Suzie who can spike a volleyball with the best of them, and Milton is still one of the best volleyballers in the province.
So it makes sense then that McAsey and Milton have hooked up to form a beach volleyball team about to launch themselves into the McEntee Hire National Pro Tour beach volleyball series.
The duo stepped out for their first competitive outing in a low-key event at Mairangi Bay on Auckland's North Shore at the weekend and plan to be part of the five-event professional series, starting in Christchurch in January and finishing with the New Zealand Open at Stanley St in Auckland on Anniversary Weekend.
"We have only been training for a couple of weeks.
"We are both mothers juggling kids and things but it kind of made sense, with Lenna being playing indoor up here for a while and me having some beach volleyball experience, for us to team up and have a go," McAsey said. "This first season together will be me getting back into the groove of it, and Lenna getting used to playing beach not indoor and playing with just two of us on the court not six," she said.
"It is more a two-year plan kind of thing. We would like to think we can bust into the top four, maybe the top eight this year and top four next."
Kirk Pitman is the most successful beach volleyballer Northlander has produced, he and long time playing partner Jason Lochead compete on the World Pro Tour and were unlucky not to qualify for a spot at the Beijing Olympics earlier this year.
McAsey said she and Milton did not harbour Olympic aspirations, but they are about to set up a beach volleyball "academy" to school young Northlanders keen on the game.
"We see heaps of really talented young volleyballers who have great skills. We hope we can maybe give them a few tips and then, who knows, maybe there is another Kirk Pitman out there," she said.
McAsey and Milton finished fifth at Mairangi Bay of the weekend with a plethora of Northlanders also competing at the event.
Talented Tikipunga High School student Harrison Tanenui-Waara teamed up with a young North Harbour player to take second place in the A Grade men's division. Justin Zappeli-Wilson and Byron Luders had their first taste of beach volleyball competition in the open Men's grade and performed with credit against much more experienced competition.
Secondary schoolgirls, Samantha Sharp and Olivia Siakisini, also played well to take a couple of good wins in the women's A Grade.