New Zealand has officially announced their women’s beach pairing that will represent that country at the 2018 Commonwealth Games as Kelsie Wills and Shaunna Polley.
The selection of Wills/Polley was secured by their 2017 FIVB Ulsan 1 Star World Tour event third-place finish in Korea. The duo is making history at the event, much as the men’s team will, who will be announced later this month, as the first team to represent New Zealand at the Commonwealth Games. Wills/Polley have been teamed up since March of 2017 and being a new team gives them a lot of room to grow.
This is the first year that beach volleyball will be played at the Commonwealth Games.
Beach volleyball is not the main source of income for the duo as Wills works as an auditor in Mount Maunganui while Polley is from Hamilton, traveling to Mount Maunganui three to four times per week to train. The team trains with their coach, Mike Watson, who is looking to be selected as a potential player at Gold Coast.
The main challenge for the team at the Commonwealth Games will be Australia and Canada, who have had strong showing internationally over the past year.
The Commonwealth Games will take place in Gold Coast, Australia from April 4 to 15 this year. Beach volleyball will begin their competition on April 5 and continue through the finals on April 12.
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