Sisters Jessica and Ellie Bird were both selected for age-group representative teams for the netball championships played in Dunedin this week.
Although both have played other sports, netball has always been their preference.
Jessica (18) standing at 1.88m, was selected in the under-19 Dunedin team as a goal shoot and goal keep.
She said that although she preferred playing goal shoot, it was really handy to know how to play at both ends.
The standard of netball in Dunedin was a step-up because there was a large pool of students up for selection, she said.
It was her first year living and playing in Dunedin after moving from Waipukurau, in Central Hawkes Bay, where she had grown up with her older siblings, Ellie and Dominic.
It is easy to see the resemblance in height the two girls have to their brother, Crusaders and All Black lock Dominic Bird, who stands at 2.06m.
Jessica said she enjoyed going to watch her brother play when she could, and had a lot of banter, giving him pointers on his game.
She also said that when she was at home with him, he would often force her to go for runs because he knew how important fitness was in sport.
''Dom likes to get us out,'' she said with a grin.
Ellie (21) was selected in the under-23 Central zone team, a strong contender for this year's title.
Standing at 1.94m, she is a goal shoot like her sister, but said she would be keen to give goal keep a go.
Now living and playing in different cities, the girls said they did not often get to watch each other play, so the tournament was a good way to do so.
They had played in opposite teams in club netball finals in 2012 and 2013 before Jessica moved to study in Dunedin.
The two got competitive against each other, especially when Jessica's team won, making for an awkward ride home.
''Ellie didn't talk on the car ride home,'' Jessica said with a laugh.
Mother Sally Bird said she was very proud of her children's achievements, but she found it nerve-racking watching them all play.
''I'm an emotional wreck sometimes,'' she said.
The under-19 final will be played tomorrow at 2:30pm and the under-23 final will be played at 3:45pm at the Edgar Centre.
- Bridget Rutherford
