01 September 2024 Lincoln training still valuable for Black Fern

The Black Fern started playing rugby at the age of seven in Banks Peninsula, then set her sights on Lincoln University after attending Lincoln High School.

It was not an easy pathway for Alana, who wanted to get in on a sports scholarship, but wasn’t selected for the programme as she finished high school.

Instead, she continued working her summer job, but kept up her rugby. In the second half of 2014 she was selected for the Canterbury women’s team.

She tried again for a Sports Scholarship. This time she made it.

She also landed a gap year scholarship, which allowed her to start studying halfway through the year and get in an extra semester before her Sports Scholarship began.

Alana always planned to pursue rugby, but believes Lincoln gave her the skills she needed to succeed.

“It set me up for professionalism. You had to juggle study with training.”

Her trainers took the programme seriously, which meant she had to as well.

“You had to meet standards. It prepared me to be a better player, athlete and person.

“I loved it, I definitely carry a lot of those high standards now.”

She was grateful for the ability to earn a degree while also working towards her rugby goals.

“I remember having a couple of finals on at the same time as exams. They always found a way to make it work.”

Alana said it could be a scary for sportspeople to have nothing to fall back on when their career came to an end.

She greatly enjoyed studying Agribusiness and Food Marketing and felt more comfortable knowing she had that education for the future.

“If you’re thinking about doing it, you should go for it.”

Aside from the sporting and academic benefits, being a Lincoln sports scholar placed her in a social space with likeminded people.

“I made lifelong friends here.”