Hockey: Standout rise in the ranks

Leilani Fuikefu.

Leilani Fuikefu, 14, shines in roles anchoring three top hockey teams

Leilani Fuikefu prefers to let her hockey do the talking. And that hockey could tell a thing or two about a tremendous season for the softly spoken 14-year-old, Year 10 student at Mt Roskill Grammar.

Be it for her school hockey First XI, the Roskill-Eden club Under 18s or the Auckland Under 15 girls reps, Fuikefu has shone as a midfielder (and occasionally striker) with pace to burn, adept at setting up her strikers and sending alarm bells ringing through most defences.

Fuikefu has come under the wing of coach James Grant, who oversees all hockey at Mt Roskill Grammar and also coaches the Auckland men's side who won last month's nationals. Grant is impressed with his young charge, so much so that she took out several player of the day awards this season for MRGS.

"Lani can be as good as she wants to be. Physically she is stronger and quicker than most in her age group. Skill-wise, she has developed over the past few months and reads the game well," says Grant.

It is apt that Fuikefu names Jamie Dwyer as her favourite hockey player. The Australian midfielder just happens to be one of the top hockey exponents in the world, a five-time IHF player of the year, and he helped Grant and the Auckland team to the national title. This season was Fuikefu's second in the First XI. It is less than four years since she took the sport up, and her progress up the ranks has been swift, often playing with older girls which she says has only benefited her game.

"I liked this season. It was challenging but good. James Grant is a really good coach. He teaches us things that we didn't know and we've really improved from last year," says the diminutive Fuikefu.

Her skill, some cohesive team work and the astute coaching of Grant all combined to see MRGS' First XI draw with Macleans in the Open A grade final, as well as place third at the Eveline Hankers Memorial tournament in Pukekohe during last month's tournament week.

Fuikefu is confident that the girls, of whom only three are leaving school, can do well next year in the higher grade.

Dedication won't be an issue for her, though she lists her dribbling skills and fitness as two work-ons. Five or six days a week you will find her at 6.45am getting stuck into the fitness on the school's hockey turf, a priceless asset to fast-track young hockey careers. Then she is back for teamwork or stickwork later in the afternoon.

In season, her week looks something like this: Wednesday afternoon, First XI football for the school (her No 2 sport); Thursday afternoon, First XI hockey for the school; Friday evening, club hockey; Sunday afternoon, sometimes rep hockey.

MRGS' First XI girls' team has several Tongans in the squad, along with Fuikefu, where their natural talent is evident.

Fuikefu was the leading goalscorer for Auckland in the Under 15 nationals in Tauranga this month.