Sport
1News

New sport fistball quickly seeing Kiwis shining on the world stage

December 10, 2018

The European sport was introduced a few years ago, with Kiwi sides quickly making their mark.

What do you get if you take volleyball outside, double the size of the court, and change a few of the rules?

Fistball, with Kiwi competitors happy to see what all the fuss is about.

Originating back to 16th century Europe, fistball made it's way to our shores after the 2016 Olympics, with the New Zealand Fistball Association formed that same year.

"It was a couple of years ago post Rio Olympics and thinking 'how do we get involved more in sport?,'" NZ Fistball president Blase Dowall told 1 NEWS.

"We thought this was a way we can get stuck into a new sport bring it to New Zealand."

Naturally, it hasn't taken long for Kiwi sides to pick up fistball, with the New Zealand women attending their first World Championships in July, claiming the second tier trophy.

Former Steel and Tactix defender Louise Thayer was part of that side, happy to turn up and play the underdog against the likes of Austria.

"I just came along to have a look really and kind of got hooked right from day one and been part of the crew since," she said.

"We got to worlds and the rest of the world were pleasantly surprised at how well we were doing.

"I think they had lower expectations of us so it was really nice to have that little bit of a shock."

The New Zealand men's and women's sides both travelled to Australia for the Asia-Pacific championships last month, each winning their respective event.

"We've never beaten them in a tournament, so to beat them on home soil in the way that we did, I know they were pretty gutted and it was pretty amazing for us to take a trophy off the Aussies," Dowall said.

So with fistball quickly on the up in New Zealand, don't be surprised if you see the next generation with a Fistball Fern on their jersey in the near future.

SHARE ME

More Stories