New Zealand's players celebrate with their winning trophy at the end of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup cricket. Photo: AFP / Giuseppe Cacace
Four of the White Ferns squad are all former Tawa College students, and there were bleary and teary eyes at the Wellington school this morning as the team took out the T20 Cricket World Cup for the first time.
The Ferns took the title after beating South Africa by 32 runs early this morning.
Sophie Devine, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr and Georgia Plimmer were captured with their medals and the world cup trophy, signing with their hands T-A-W-A.
Sophie Devine, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr and Georgia Plimmer sign T-A-W-A with their hands after winning the T20 World Cup final. Photo: ICC
All four are former Tawa College students - Devine the veteran at 35, and Plimmer, just 20, only left the school three years ago.
Tawa College deputy principal Steve Conroy said he was incredibly proud of them.
"They're all so kind and lovely kids."
Conroy is the Kerrs' uncle, and said it was incredible to watch his nieces and their team take out the win.
He credited the coaching prowess of the Kerrs' father Robbie - and Devine, the original trailblazing player, who laid a foundation which the Kerrs picked up and ran with, for why the school has turned out so many successful players.
"I think they looked up to Sophie and Susie Bates and they really set a course for themselves and people like Georgia have looked up to them as inspiration."
"I think the current Tawa College team are looking up to Georgia so there's this lovely sort of interplay of inspiration and role modelling in Tawa."
Tawa college's current First XI captain Ava Conroy - Steve's daughter - said she was very proud of her cousins.
"I'm proud of how they play, but also they're just amazing people and they're just such good role models to look up to."
She thought their win was inspiring.
"I think it shows a lot of girls that it actually is a career and you can go into it if you want to."
Amelia Kerr and Sophie Devine celebrate the win. Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2024 www.photosport.nz
Her mum - and Steve's wife - Charlotte Murray - has taught at Tawa College for 27 years and witnessed some exceptional talent in that time.
She said when Sophie was playing, she played for the boys First XI and as the highest wicket taker won the school's Bruce Murray stump sports prize.
Bruce Murray is Charlotte Murray's late father, and played 13 Tests for the NZ mens' cricket team.
"We just think he'd be so proud of the girls, but not only for how they are as players, but I think you'd also be proud to see what kind of people they are off the field as well."
Tawa College's student leaders were also pretty stoked.
"It makes us really proud to see how alumni of our school have gone on to do some amazing things on the global stage and it's just really great to know that they came from Tawa College," said Calla Rix.
"I think it's really inspiring for some of our current students to see that we've got such a big international thing going on and that they're putting Tawa College on the map," said Oriwa Duncan.
"It's just amazing, it's a great inspiration for current students, especially the sporty type, to know that they can go on and do those incredible things. Just because you come from Tawa doesn't mean you can't represent us on a great world stage and achieve amazing things," said Hamish Scott.