M&M spells double trouble for hockey defenders

The Marlborough women’s rep hockey side’s twin threat can sometimes leave rival defenders suffering from double vision.

For the past decade and more a pair of identical twin sisters have operated in tandem, providing a potent attacking force for various school, club and representative teams.

Maddie and Millie Large, 17-year-old Marlborough Girls’ College Year 13 students, have slowly but surely risen through the ranks, after taking up the game aged “around five or six”, and are now regulars in the Marlborough women’s A side.

Both generally ply their trade up front, as prolific strikers, although Maddie also dabbles in the midfield.

So far this season the duo have been busy, playing together for the Arotea Kiwi women’s side, the Marlborough Girls’ College First XI, the Marlborough A rep side and the Tasman under-18 team.

Their hockey journey began when the twins were at Grovetown School. The school didn’t have enough numbers for a hockey side so their Mum arranged for them to play for Rapaura School. From there they moved to Bohally and onto MGC, where they have been a fixture in the top side for many seasons.

From a young age the girls tried a wide variety of sports, but now acknowledge their sporting preference lies firmly with hockey.

“"it is a sophisticated game and that’s why I love it,” says Millie. “It pushes me both physically and mentally. It’s fast, exciting, and the thrill never gets old and it has taught me discipline, focus, and resilience.

“Winning feels amazing, but losing can make you a better player through learning from mistakes it’s all part of what makes the game so rewarding.

“I love the team environment, along with the people you meet and come up against. Also, the places it takes you … I have gone basically all over New Zealand with hockey and I wouldn’t have been able to do that otherwise.”

Maddie relishes the culture surrounding the hockey scene. “It’s not like you dread training four times a week … you are excited for your trainings and games each week, and the excitement is always growing.”

The twins are keen to continue their hockey progression, with a trial for this season’s Tasman Districts senior women’s team in their immediate sights, as well as re-selection for the Under-18 South side that will play in the Queensland series run  by The Hockey Experience in December.

Millie says she is keen to compete at as high a level as possible. “In an ideal world that would be playing for New Zealand at some level, or maybe playing overseas at some stage … experiencing different styles of hockey.”

Maddie agrees, suggesting their post-college plans are likely to be “hockey-focussed”.

“We are still open to lots of options – we have thought about it, but haven’t decided anything yet.”

The pronoun “we” crops up frequently in discussion with the twins, who admit they have “similar interests and goals”.

Millie says that on the turf their physical similarities can present problems for opposition defences. “Occasionally the opposition gets confused because we both play up front which does work in our favour sometimes.”

It is often said that twins have a special bond and are able to predict what the other is doing, another benefit in Maddie and Millie’s favour.

“It does seem to work like that … sometimes I pass and she is just there, it happens and I don’t know how. We have played together all our lives so I guess we just know how each other plays,” said Millie.

An exception was last season with Maddie suffering a serious ankle injury that ruled her out of several major tournaments.

Millie said it felt quite odd without her twin alongside her. “It felt a bit weird because I am so used to playing with her … not being by myself, but because we work so well together on the field.”

The twins were quick to credit a group of coaches and support systems for reaching the level they have achieved so far, including Emma Sorenson-Brown, Denise Lloyd, Matt Hair, Amber Boyce, Paul Jones, Brett Butcher and of course Mum and Dad.

Success seems to follow the pair, who shared the female Emerging Talent Award at last year’s Marlborough Sports Awards and have both been voted Hockey Marlborough’s most promising under-21 player of the year.

After making their senior rep debut for the 2021 Marlborough senior A women’s side they have helped that side achieve notable results. In 2023 Marlborough eclipsed their top of the south rivals in the annual tournament, then retained the Pope Shield again last year, albeit without Maddie.

They were hoping to repeat the dose in Nelson last weekend, this time in tandem, before the weather gods intervened. However there will be plenty more chances for Marlborough’s M&M strike force to shine.