New Zealand's Kayla Sharland has enjoyed the benefit of German technical knowledge in 2005 to improve her hockey. Image by Photosport, NZ)

The best of both worlds

Megan Horsburgh, Hockey New Zealand Communications Manager, profiles this remarkable young talent. 

If you wanted to develop a prototype for a world-class player you could do worse than combine the flair of Oceania with the technical skill of Germany. 

And for an example of a work in progress, look no further than rising Black Stick star Kayla Sharland. 

Sharland, who is rated by New Zealand coach Ian Rutledge as one of the best young strikers internationally, has flitted between New Zealand and Germany this year, taking advantage of the best of both worlds. 

The lead role in the exchange is the maestro behind arguably the hockey upset of 2004, German national women’s coach Marcus Weise - the man who last year developed the team that finished fourth at the Olympic Qualifier in Auckland in March into the team that won gold in Athens in August.  

Sharland’s links with Germany this year came about after a conversation between Rutledge and Weise at the Champions Trophy last November, when Weise invited Sharland to play for his club Mannheim in the German national club league. 

Such strong co-operation between world rivals is not common across all sports, but New Zealand and Germany developed a good rapport last year after treading almost identical paths internationally, beginning with the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Auckland. 

After qualifying, New Zealand spent several weeks training in Germany at their invitation, the two sides meeting several times in practice matches. 

The teams then played at the Olympics together and finished with the Champions Trophy last December in Argentina, where Germany finished second. 

Rutledge, who rates the Germans as amongst the most technically proficient players in the world, was more than happy for Sharland to develop her hockey in Europe. 

He was particularly keen for her to work more on her role as New Zealand’s best developing drag flick option. She has previously worked with New Zealand’s awesome penalty corner ace, Hayden Shaw. 

Sharland’s first trip in April/May was hampered after she tweaked a hamstring in practice and while that was a setback for both sides, she was still able to observe and take part in training sessions. 

She had one-on-one coaching with Weise as well as with his leading player, Fanny Rinne, (2004 World Hockey International Player of the Year nominee). 

Rinne is adding the drag flick to her arsenal and worked with Sharland on the difficult skill which so few women have mastered effectively. 

“She does everything for their corners,” says Sharland, who stayed with Rinne’s parents during her visit. “She flicks, she scoops, she lobs, she hits…” 

“It was really good watching the way she trains, and looking at her skills. I knew she was good, but I didn’t know how good.” 

The German players spoke English but Sharland picked up as much German as she could, particularly hockey-related phrases. 

“At one stage they threatened to only speak German so I could learn quicker, but I don’t think I was ready for that!” she says. 

Sharland returned to New Zealand in May to play in a five-match series against USA, before rejoining Weise in late May. 

This time she played for Bundesliga in the German club league, working again with Rinne. 

Sharland was first discovered as school girl in 2003, the same year that Australian Rutledge crossed the ditch and took over the reins of the national side.

She made the Black Sticks while still at Palmerston North Girls High, as Rutledge’s first big discovery. 

Others to follow included the midfielder Stacey Carr (21), who debuted the same year and 2004 WorldHockey Young Player of the Year nominee Emily Naylor (19), who was introduced last year. 

Sharland first drew attention as a 16-year-old playing for the New Zealand Under 18 team in 2002. 

An imposing figure with the ball she had outstanding pace and was already showing good circle awareness and positioning. 

Sharland’s pace had been honed playing another sport at national level, touch rugby. She had played for the NZ Secondary Schools touch team in a sport that requires explosive acceleration. Her quickness of the mark was a huge asset for a young player. 

She debuted against Canada in early 2003 in her home town of Palmerston North, where she started playing at age seven and grew up watching local heroes Moira Senior and Skippy Hamahona, both 2000 Sydney Olympians. 

It was a reasonably gentle introduction, but not so a few months later when she was retained to play Australia in the Oceania Cup. 

She showed enough maturity and skill up front against Australia to make the Champions Challenge team two months later and has been in the starting line up ever since. 

Sharland is pleased with her development in her short career, but has plenty of ambition to do better. 

“Since first debuting I feel I have become a lot stronger on the ball and have more confidence in taking on the opposition,” she says. 

“My basics have improved but there is still a lot to work on. The main area I need to work on is completion rate in the attacking circle.  

Sharland is currently studying towards a Bachelor of Sports Management. 

She moved her base to Christchurch this year, where one of the three New Zealand high performance squads is based, this one led by Rutledge. 

“The advantage of Christchurch was that I was able to have individual trainings with Ian and was also able to work with Hayden Shaw to develop the drag flick,” she says. 

When she has free time, Kayla likes to meet up with school friends from her home town of Palmerston North, go to cafes, movies and shopping. She also enjoys still enjoys the occasional game of touch football. 

Her ambitions are to be the best possible hockey player she can be, in the mould of the players she most admires, Luciana Aymar, Soledad Garcia and Rinne. 

“I’d like to have an impact and enjoy what I am doing. I would love to be a full time hockey player, if only there was the money!” she says. 

Kayla Sharland Fact File
Age: 19
International Debut: 2003 v Canada in Palmerston North, New Zealand
International Caps: 55
International Goals: 7
Province: Central
Participation in International Tournaments:
Champions Challenge 2003
Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2004
Olympic Games 2004
Champions Trophy 2004
Champions Challenge 2005