How do you go from Hokitika to what you're doing now? What inspired you to start that dream?

‍Holly: Growing up on the West Coast, I faced challenges, particularly in sports due to my missing left hand. My coach, Danny Spark, believed in me and helped me start my journey. My family also played a huge role. I've won two Paralympic medals, seven World Championships medals, and a Commonwealth Games medal. Each step of the way, I had people who believed in me and pushed me to be my best. The community here in Hokitika always rallied behind me, and that support was crucial in my development as an athlete.

‍Rosie: My older brother played rugby, and I followed in his footsteps. My dad, who was my athletics coach, was very supportive. He sacrificed a lot of time to help me achieve my goals. Moving to Christchurch was a big step, but it opened up so many opportunities. Playing for New Zealand was always a dream, and the hard work, training, and support from my family made it possible. The transition from Hokitika to the national stage was challenging, but it taught me resilience and determination.

‍Katie: I had an amazing music teacher here, Sophie Ralph, who encouraged us to write our own music. The local community, including people at jam nights, supported me immensely. My family was also very supportive, taking me to events and helping me pursue my music career. Starting out in Hokitika, the sense of community and the encouragement I received made a huge difference. It can be tough being in a small town with big dreams, but that tight-knit support system can propel you forward. Every performance, every song I write, is a tribute to the roots and the people who helped me get here.

What are the best and worst things about being on the coast when you have big dreams?

Katie: The best part is the support from the community. People here are genuinely invested in your success and will go out of their way to help you. The worst part is not having many people my age pursuing music, so I often felt alone in that. Sometimes, it felt like I was the only one with such big dreams, but that also pushed me to work harder and stand out. The isolation forced me to be more creative and find unique ways to share my music.

‍Rosie: The best thing is the outdoor lifestyle and playing multiple sports. The environment here is perfect for an active, healthy lifestyle. The worst thing was being the only female rugby player, which meant I had to travel and go to boarding school to pursue my dreams. It was tough leaving home at a young age, but it was necessary to reach the next level in my sport. The experience taught me independence and resilience, which have been invaluable in my career.

‍Holly: The community support was the best part. Knowing that the entire town was behind me gave me extra motivation. The biggest challenge was not having proper facilities like an athletics track, which meant I had to move away to compete at higher levels. The lack of resources was frustrating at times, but it also made me more determined to succeed. Moving to a place with better facilities was a game-changer, but I always carried the spirit of Hokitika with me.

Holly: My first Paralympics in London was incredibly stressful with 80,000 people in the crowd. Mental health struggles are common in sports, and finding a balance outside of athletics was crucial for me. My coach and I worked on finding my passion beyond sports. It's important to have hobbies and interests outside of your main focus to maintain mental well-being. For me, connecting with nature, spending time with family, and engaging in community activities helped manage the pressure.

‍Rosie: Balancing rugby and personal life is key. I stay connected with my family and try to take breaks from rugby to manage stress. Finding time for friends and hobbies is essential. It helps me recharge and stay motivated. The support system around me, including teammates and coaches, plays a crucial role in managing stress. We look out for each other and ensure we're all in a good mental space.

‍Katie: Setting goals and celebrating achievements helps me manage stress. Recognizing milestones prevents me from feeling like I'm constantly chasing success without enjoying the journey. It's important to acknowledge the small wins and take time to appreciate how far you've come. Music is a passion, but it can also be a source of stress. Finding a balance between work and relaxation, and having a strong support network, has been vital in managing the pressures of the industry.

How do you manage stress and the pressure of achieving your goals?

Katie: I think the first step is identifying what you're passionate about. It's important to think about what you truly want to do with your life, beyond just having a job. What gets you excited to get out of bed in the morning? For me, once I identify something I want to achieve, I tell someone about it. This way, I have to follow through because I pride myself on being a woman of my word.

‍Rosie: I've always been very competitive and driven to be the best, which motivates me to set and strive for goals. Sacrifices were a big part of my journey, especially during my university years. Missing out on social events and enduring long days of training and studying were tough, but reminding myself of my goals kept me going. Living my dream every day now makes all those sacrifices worth it.
‍Student: Did you always want to be a rugby player?
‍Rosie: Yes, but growing up in Hokitika, I didn’t know much about the Black Ferns, so I didn't realize rugby could be a career. I also had an interest in the medical field, which led me to study physiotherapy as a backup. But I always loved rugby and sports.

‍Holly: My journey started from a dream of being the best in the world, but it required a lot of hard work and perseverance. There were many tough times, but staying connected to my "why" – my passion and love for representing New Zealand – kept me going. Achieving our dreams requires hard work, and this mentoring program is designed to help you along that journey.

What, in your mind, separates those of us that have these dreams from those of us who actually do something with those dreams? What's the thing that prompted or motivated you to take action?

Katie: One of my proudest moments was opening for Sir Elton John in front of 35,500 people in Dunedin. It was a culmination of years of hard work and overcoming many challenges. My current goal is to continue writing better songs and releasing more music. I'm also excited about attending a songwriting retreat in Nashville next year, a long-time dream of mine.

‍Rosie: My proudest achievement was debuting for New Zealand last year against Australia, with my family there to watch. My next goal is to debut in the sevens format of rugby for New Zealand and hopefully secure a full-time contract.

‍Holly: Winning my first global gold in Tokyo was incredible, but being the New Zealand flag bearer at the 2016 Paralympics' opening ceremony was a particularly proud moment.

You mentioned some of your proudest achievements. Could you share one and your current goals?

Holly: Commitment to my goals in sports has translated into other areas of my life, such as work. Skills like time management, hard work, and dedication learned from sports have been invaluable.

‍Rosie: Public speaking is a skill I've developed through sports, which is surprising but essential for interacting with different people. Resilience is another key skill. For example, after going off contract with the Black Ferns Fifteens, I thought it was the end of the world, but I quickly adjusted my mindset and realised it was a blessing in disguise.

‍Katie: I had no idea I wanted to pursue music when I was your age. I tried various things, including hairdressing and business management, which all contributed to making me a well-rounded musician. The journey taught me that the actual performance is just a small part of the job; the rest is hard work behind the scenes.

How do your passions in sport and music impact other areas of your life, especially balancing work and passion?

Rosie: Honestly, I was a bit jealous and thought I'd never achieve what they had. It wasn't until I put my mind to it that I realised my potential.

‍Shaun: How many of you think, "It's okay for them because they're stars, but I don't think I can do what they do?" It's intimidating to hear about such achievements and wonder if you can do the same.

‍Holly: We all started where you are now. With hard work and support, you can achieve your dreams too.

‍Shaun: Happiness doesn't need to be about winning medals. It can be about achieving your personal goals. How did you know what you wanted to do with your life?

‍Katie: It's about finding what you're passionate about. I initially pursued hairdressing but always returned to music. It's essential to try different things and figure out what excites you, then find a way to make it sustainable.

‍Rosie: In Year 13, I changed my mind multiple times. I wanted to go to university but was afraid to leave Christchurch. Eventually, I pursued physiotherapy and rugby, which made me a well-rounded person.

‍Holly: I loved sports and proving people wrong who doubted my abilities due to my disability. Sports allowed me to show that hard work and determination matter more than any physical differences.

Reflecting on your high school days, what were your thoughts while listening to people on stage?

Katie: Yes, about every three years haha! But I'm getting better. So, I think it's like the girls have touched on – it's amazing to have your passion and having other outlets too, so you're a fully formed person.
So say if you get a no or a rejection letter for an application or whatever you're going for, it doesn't hit as hard, you've got other things to fall back on. And I think as you move through your career path, you'll also make colleagues or friends that you can talk to them and realise they have been through or are going through or will end up going through similar burnouts, similar feelings. So that can be really helpful as well. I know, like coming from a small town, coming from here, I'd enter country singing competitions around the country, and I would take the hits so hard, and I had nobody that I could talk to that actually understood on a personal level. So I think finding people that are doing the same thing as you, and obviously the internet is a wonderful place for finding people that you can converse with who are going through the same thing. But yeah, it's a burnout and that's real, so looking after your health, your mental health. And the younger you start, the better off you are. Because I still haven't stepped foot inside a gym haha, so you know, look after yourself!

‍Holly: I've experienced burnout a lot. There's been about four times across my career that I've thought about giving up. Retiring, leaving my javelins and my shot behind because I didn't want to do it anymore.
But it took some key people around me to say, 'Hey, you're not quite in the right space,' and I didn't realise it until they said that to me. And I realised, yeah, I am really burnt out, I need to take some time for me, and take some time out from the sport. So generally after a burnout, I take about a month or two off to just try and refocus, get better. But it's also about those key things that you guys need to do for yourself.
Who's got exams coming up? Who feels absolutely buggered after studying for exams?  Leading into those exams, there are some key things that you should really be doing, and I'm sure your teachers will talk about this, but there's some strategies that you guys can put in place, like time management, being really organised, which can help with that burnout stuff.

So for me, I had to go back and say, what are my key priorities? What do I need to tick off today? So that I'm a really good space for the days ahead. I've experienced burnout several times and considered quitting. It took people around me to point out that I needed a break. Managing priorities and being organised are key to preventing burnout, especially during stressful times like exams.

Have you experienced burnout, and how did you cope with it?