Sophia’s choice pays off

For Sophia Nicholas, touch is very much a family affair.

The 16-year-old Marlborough Girls’ College Year 12 student has recently been chosen to represent New Zealand and will soon join both her parents as proud wearers of the silver fern.

Sophia has been named in the NZ under-18 mixed side which will travel to Queensland in May to participate in the Asia Pacific Youth Touch Cup.

Her parents, Todd Nicholas and Katie Bradley, have worn the black singlet as members of various NZ masters sides and competed at two Touch World Cups.

Sophia pinpoints her parents’ connection and success with the free-flowing, action-packed sport as a major motivator.

“It is a very cool ‘following in their footsteps’ vibe I guess,” she says.

“My other siblings [Mitch and Natalie] are into sport as well, so I hope they can do the same … it’s a very sporty family.”

She describes her parents as, “my rocks”.

“My Dad is such an important part of my life. I train with him every day … and my Mum, she is so good with the mental part of it. They help in different ways, but I am very grateful for both of them.”

To earn selection Sophia took part in a couple of trials. The first, in Christchurch, involved 250 girls, then the numbers were cut to just 30 hopefuls.

She admitted to being a bit apprehensive at the final trial, especially being unfamiliar with mixed touch.

“I was very nervous. I had never played mixed and I had been picked to train with the mixed squad. There were 10 girls [trialling] and only six were to be picked so I was very aware of that. When the email arrived and I saw my name it was like a rush of relief.”

Although she was informed in February of her selection, the teenager had to keep it to herself for around a month, which she described as “so, so hard”.

“Everyone knew that I had made the final trial and they kept asking me whether I knew [if I had been selected], but I said that I couldn’t tell them. That was tough, but I was allowed to tell my parents.”

After initially being unsure how she would adapt to mixed touch, Sophia now prefers it because, “it’s so much faster and you need a different skill set, plus there are more set plays and moves”.

Also a talented netballer and basketballer, Sophia says touch is the pursuit she prefers.

“While [touch] is an individual sport, in that you have to keep your own fitness levels and skills up, it is also very much about team culture.

“Getting to know your team mates and taking part in touch champs and tournaments, that’s what makes it the sport that it is.

“I also like the structured play and the fact it is very technical, which people might not realise, so having touch IQ is a big factor,” adds Sophia.

If she is looking for help in that direction, a glance around the dinner table at home should certainly suffice.