Keeping her eye on the ball

Meikayla’s passion for football began when she was four years old and only continued to grow alongside her talent, which saw her make her senior debut for the Football Ferns in 2013. Despite the dedication needed to progress in her athletic career, Meikayla says her education remained important throughout.

“I have always loved school and my studies, even when it coincided with football and made life very full on. Despite the challenges and busy schedule, going to university was always a hope of mine. Since a young age, I’ve had a passion for helping others and wanted to pursue this in my studies.”

Initially beginning a Bachelor of Health Science – Integrated Human Health with the intent of taking a nursing route, Meikayla says while her mindset changed, her choice in degree and university remained steadfast.

“I found the degree to still be very applicable to me in my football career and because I still want to help others in the long term. Choosing to study with Massey was an easy decision, especially as many of my teammates and fellow athletes study with Massey and have been impressed by the extramural offering. I was based in Auckland at the time of applying, but knew I’d eventually want to go professional overseas.”

Juggling her time between being a professional footballer and pursuing her studies had its challenges, but after graduating earlier this year, Meikayla says the six-year journey has been worth it.

“I learned very quickly about time management, especially when I moved overseas! For me, it was a personal decision to study part-time for the entirety of my degree, as I was balancing that with full-time football. Having the ability to study part-time and have that support from Massey was massive, and made it feel more achievable and certainly less stressful than undertaking both sport and study full-time. It took me double the time, but I have no regrets about that, as I now hold a bachelor’s degree in health science which fills me with a lot of pride.”

Alongside time management, Meikayla says her other secret to success is communication.

“Managing a fully professional environment with training workloads isn’t easy, and sometimes off days from training would be comprised entirely of a study day which can be a challenge for the body and mind. Being organised and planning out semesters was important, but I found being proactive with my lecturers vital, particularly when tests, exams and assignments clashed with my athletic schedule – as well as having to consider time zones! Communication was key and the lecturers at Massey were always beyond accommodating and helpful. They were understanding of my distance lifestyle and always wanted to do the best they could to help alleviate any anxiety or any issues I was having.”

Throughout her studies, Meikayla’s football career continued to soar, starting with her signing her first professional contract at 21 years old to a German club playing in the Frauen Bundesliga 1, FC Köln. Six months later, she moved upwards and signed to another team in the Frauen Bundesliga 1, MSV Duisburg. After two years, she made the move to Liverpool, playing for another two years where she won a championship with them and promoted the club back to the Women’s Super League.

“Nationally, this is my 10th year being part of the Football Ferns. I was brought into the squad at 17 years old, when I was still in high school. Since then, I have made 63 appearances for the national side, attending two Women’s World Cups and two Olympic games,” Meikayla says.

From growing up in Christchurch to now living in Glasgow, Meikayla’s passion has taken her across the world, and she says she’s not slowing down, either in her sporting career or in her desire to keep learning.

“I have just started my second season with Glasgow City, a prestigious sole women entity club with a rich history of success. Last year, we won the Scottish Women’s Premier League and qualified for Champions League. It’s been refreshing to be able to fully focus on my trade, but I do miss the work/study balance and know that having another focus aside from football is healthy. I’ve enrolled in a Sports Management Certificate through a university in London and hope to undertake that early next year.”

“Through my time with Massey, I have learned you grow a lot through study and you also grow with what you’re learning. Not only did I come out with a degree, but I also learned I’m good with time management and have the capability to work and develop on my communication skills via a variety of channels.”

Meikayla says she was fortunate to receive a Prime Minister Scholarship for the entirety of her studies, as well as support from many in her life.

“I’d like to thank my family and girlfriend for their support and love. Additionally, my national team and managers, who had to observe exams on tour, High Performance Sport New Zealand for their help with the Prime Ministers Scholarship and Massey University.”