Michaela Blyde is one of few rugby players who had a female role model growing up. Mother Cherry represented the Black Ferns in the early 1990s and Blyde strived to follow in her footsteps.
In 2013, she achieved her dream, making her debut for the Black Ferns Sevens. Since then, she's become a leading presence in the boom of the women's game in New Zealand.
"I always said to myself that I wanted to follow her footsteps in playing for New Zealand in rugby, and to say that I've done that now is very humbling and I'm very, very proud to represent her last name," Blyde said.
"[Now] it's part of our job to try to inspire the younger generation to try and fight for that black jersey, whether it's XVs or Sevens."
Blyde, who was named World Rugby Women's Sevens Player of the Year for the second straight season, also won the title of best Women's Sevens Player at the New Zealand Rugby awards in Auckland on Thursday night.