Small-Town Kōtiro Jada Jelinek Chasing Volleyball Dreams In Canada

Thursday, 24 July 2025, 6:02 pm
Article: RNZ

Emma Andrews, Henare te Ua Māori Journalism Intern

Dedication and determination is what it took for Jada Jelinek to make the under-18 Aotearoa Māori volleyball team.

Following a trial in September 2024, she was one of three South Islanders selected to represent their culture and wear the tino rangatiratanga flag on their playing kit.

"Following various boot camps and training sessions, our teams and individual players have significantly strengthened, preparing us to compete together," Jelinek said.

Aotearoa Māori Poirewa - NZ Māori Volleyball teams compete internationally against other indigenous sides.

The under 18 and under 20 wāhine and tāne teams are currently in Canada preparing for the inaugural All-Nations Indigenous Volleyball Showcase which begins on 25-28 July.

Held at the Van Vliet Complex, University of Alberta, the tournament facilitates both competition and cultural exchange.

"I have always wanted to travel, this is the perfect opportunity to explore the world and become more open-minded about what I want to do in the future.

"To experience the culture and norms of Canada, we also plan to attend a National Football League game in Edmonton and participate in other activities to appreciate the local indigenous cultures."

And Canada is far from her norm.

Jelinek comes from Tapawera, a township of around 370 people located 76-km southwest of Nelson.

She is a year 12 student at the Tapawera Area School, a school of just under 60 students from new entrant level to year 13.

However, the school still manages to pull together a volley team which consists of rangatahi from year 9 - 13. There, Jelinek made the South Island Area Schools team and now, Aotearoa Māori Poirewa.

The tournament, too, offers scholarship opportunities which Jelinek aimed to take up in her final year of school.

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