Description
Hi, I’m Casey, a 17 year old from Hawkes Bay! I see sport as part of my identity and love dedicating hours, days and years to it as a passion!
Here is my story..
Kayaking has always been a part of my family, so I have been paddling ever since I can remember. I have also been a dancer for 12 years and when I was 11, started Canoe Polo. This is where my passion for kayaking all started. I was 15 when I started white-water canoe slalom and I have not been able to get enough of it ever since. For me, it feels like dancing on water. The technique and precision that is required is just obsessive for me.
Balancing commitments can be tough. A huge amount of travel is required as our main training facility, New Zealand’s international whitewater course Vector Wero, is located in Auckland. I also want to graduate from high school with all NCEA levels endorsed with excellence, following on to university in 2019. I have high aspirations and expectations for myself in both my studies and sport but, I wouldn’t change a thing.
I was selected in the 2017 New Zealand Under18 K1 Woman’s Canoe Slalom team to compete at my first Junior World Championship (JWC) in Slovakia. Competing here saw both my passion and skills grow tenfold, so I jumped at the opportunity to race in the 2018 Canoe Slalom JWC in Ivrea, Italy, when re-selected. With growing confidence, I now dream of becoming a high performance athlete, starting with a burning desire to do New Zealand proud at the 2018 JWC.
My achievements:
- Selection for the Canoe Slalom K1 U18 Woman’s team for the JWC in 2017 & 2018
- Trophies for best overall female, and fastest K1 female at the Canoe Slalom New Zealand Secondary School Nationals
- Hawkes Bay Secondary Schools Female Canoeist of 2017 & finalist for best female all rounder and sportswoman of the year
- Most valuable player for the New Zealand U18 Woman’s Canoe Polo team for the 2017 Oceania Championship
- Selection for 2018 New Zealand’s U21 Woman’s Canoe Polo final trialling squad
Competing at the Canoe Slalom JWC involves a complete European tour including; training and racing on a variety of European white-water courses and ending the tour at the JWC. Therefore the costs are substantial.
Doing the sport I love to the highest level, is so incredibly special to me and I hope to be able to do you and New Zealand proud. I am reaching out to you with all my heart and soul to consider helping my burning passion. Words cannot describe how much it would mean to me. I would be so extremely appreciative and thankful.
