USA Eagle Naima Reddick Flourishes in New Zealand!

When you’ve represented the USA at the 2010 Womens Rugby World Cup what do you do next?

Travel to New Zealand and relax? We’ll kind of, 27 year old Eagles player Naima Reddick arrived in NZ march 2011 with a 1 year working visa and has kept herself busy ever since.

“I wanted to get away after the world cup and chill out, play some rugby and enjoy the social side of it a bit more’, says Reddick.

After months of commitment with 5-6 sessions a week Reddick was looking for a new environment to recharge, she visited NZ during 2007 when she toured with the USA U’23 team. She fell in love with the capital city of NZ Wellington and vowed she would return.

“Ever since then I knew I’d come back to NZ, there was no better time then after the world cup. I wanted a chance to rest and recover from injuries and do some travelling.” said Reddick who picked up a job at Wellington’s Titahi Bay primary school as a teacher’s aid and after school care programme.

Well she has definitely recovered from her injuries as she played a full season for the Norths Rugby Club Womens Team who made the final of the local club competition. She was a potent force in the front row and was a dominant figure not only in the scrum but also with ball in hand around the field scoring several tries for her Norths team.

When asked about the difference about the rugby here in NZ and back home in USA Reddick points out USA is not far behind. “I was surprised about the organization and competitiveness at club rugby here, they seemed far more relaxed and take it a lot easier then we do back home. Its very intense and we’ll structured in USA, the premier league is a great competition and a lot of close games throughout”.

Reddick must have impressed with her club form as she went on to be selected for the Wellington Pride Women’s Team to compete in the NZ National Provincial Championship competition which consists of 6 provincial teams from around the country.

“This level is a lot more competitive and I enjoy the chance to travel around the country’, says Reddick whose Wellington team has made the final to be played on Saturday 3rd September , against the Auckland ‘Storm’ .

It will be a big occasion for Reddick and her fellow team mates as it’s the first time NZ Womens final will be shown ‘live’ on NZ Sky Sports 1 and is the curtain-raiser before the Mens national ITM Cup final.
The whole country will be watching!