October 31, 2025 • 8 mins
Round six of the Tauihi National Women's Basketball League is headlined by the Saturday afternoon top of table match up between the Whai and Queens in Tauranga.
Adam Cooper caught up with Queens captain and leading New Zealand basketballer Stella Beck on the season so far, and her balance of work, life and sport.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Right around the Wellington region. The All Sport Breakfast with
Rutherford and Bond, Toyota and King Toyota, your home of
hybrid use Talk Zippy.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Eleven to eight here on the All Sport Breakfast. Well,
it's the top of table clash in the toy Hi
National Women's Basketball League today up and toto A the Fight,
hosting the Wellington team. The Tocamato were Queens and as
part of the Queens is leading New Zealand and Wellington
basketball are Stella Beck. Who's with us now, Stella morning
to you. You must be excited for this one, I guess.
Also rebounding from both a loss and a win last weekend.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Yeah, well, thanks, first all, thanks thanks for having me. Yeah,
it's an interesting time. Now everyone's played each other once,
so every team has kind of got to feel about
how they're gonna match up against. I think we've got
a really really positive start aside from that one once
we had a tough conditions leading up to it, but
(00:55):
we're coming together. Well, We've got a really on the court,
gets on really well, but also more importantly, off the court,
we're all we're really tight and have an awesome time
hanging out together. Which makes road trips a lot easier
less of the time, certainly makes a twelve hour airport
hangout much easier than other times. But all the teams
(01:17):
are looking really strong. I think the customers struggles two
close ones, so they easily could have had a couple
by now. We played to Fire this weekend, which is
going to be a tough game. I think that they're
they're coming along really nicely. They're looking really such people well, and.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
I mean you talk about that that tough, you know.
I know the travel disruptions were hard getting down to
christ Church last weekend and almost lucky you got down there,
I believe. Did you have much time dwelling on that
result ahead of the home game on Sunday or did
you kind of draw a line in the sand pretty
fast and look ahead.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
I think we're definitely. I mean, it's such a short season.
You can't really dwell on too much. You can't. You've
got to have like this next play, next game Intaladay,
and especially that game with christ which I mean they
just shot the ball INCREDIBLYU well, I thought they played
incredibly well. We probably didn't come into it with the
best mindset, but sometimes you know, you can't stop a
moving train, and that just kind of is the way
(02:14):
I felt that game. So we moved on. We thought,
let's get the one on Sunday. That's probably more important
for us, especially considering we were down thirty at the
halftime or something. Anyway, we just thought let's move on.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
Yep, fair enough and still, I mean, people that will
be watching the Queens for the last few years know
that you're You're a very influential player. You like to
lead the team through actions on the court. With a
new roster this year, a couple of other high profile
names within the Queen's environment, has your role changed much
this year on court? Do you believe?
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Yeah? Definitely this. I mean there's always face for more hosses.
I think that this year we've got particularly experienced players,
and some of which I've captained alongside, luckily enough, Butanina
obviously through the Tallpins, we've shared that role together. So
I think it just adds another layer to our team.
We're really inclusive of everyone's experiences and what they can bring,
(03:05):
and that's really important, and I think that's the skill
We really high caliber players, not just skill wise, but
like mindset wise. They've got some amazing additions and amazing modifications.
And our coach Tans, I mean, she really leaves based
for people to bring input, which is really lucky for us,
and I think it really really adds to our team.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Give us sort of a rundown of an average week
now building up to a game like the Fire team that,
as you say, you're expecting to be pretty fit. They've
had some good wins there at that's sort of top
end of the competition. Now, how are you preparing through
the week for a big game like that?
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Yeah, we've got we train every day after our weekend.
You know, we have a day off when we arrived
back home. Once well, we arrived back, played at home,
had the day off the next day, some time to
relax and switch off a little bit, and then straight
back into it Tuesday, basically, so we've trained every day
since then lifted a couple of days as well, just
(04:02):
to get the load up and the tendons they seem
to like that. And we focus on us for the
majority of the week. What are we going to do,
what's important for us to do, how do we make
our game sound? And then we spend the latter part
of the week focusing on what I do and preparing
ourselves for some of their sets and some of their
(04:23):
key players, and how we can kind of combat combat
their offense and where we can where we can look
to I guess, exploit them and get some cheapies.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Yeah, and results so far this year indicator a pretty
tight league and there's not much room for errors. There's
a bit of time for redemption, I guess at this
point of the season. But I guess that's pretty tight.
And you know, just these last couple of years, how
far has the league come in terms of its its
competitiveness and its demands as a player.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
Do you feel Yeah, I think it's an incredible leg
I feel insanely grateful to be able to play in it,
and certainly to hometown. I think that every year it's
just such a listening because the competition of news on
that girl's coming up to and I think I could
play in that one day. But also we get to
play in it as Kiwi's You're like, you say, it's
(05:12):
really tight. I think that what's important of the season
is to kind of gain your momentum towards the back
end of the season. You know, we often struggle or
teams often have a little bit of a hurd or
have a little bit of speed bumper they go over,
and then it's all about the even and you really
want to get that flow going as you come around
(05:33):
to the semi finals in the finals, So timing that's
really hard. Timing that's really critical at the end of
the day because it's so tight at the moment, you
want to focus on trying to get a home home final,
home semi finals, you play in front of your crowd,
have that six man on your side, and you really
want to find stride as you enter that that those
last two games.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Yeah, brilliant, Sell. I know in the last couple of
years you've taken a bit of a step back from
some of your other basket balling pursuits and sort of
balancing work and hoops a little bit more. Well, I
guess how do you find that? Do you enjoy your
basketball a little bit more when there's less commitments throughout
the course of an average Yet?
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Yeah, I totally think that having something outside of the
sport just adds to it as much more put a
lot of pressure on the sport, not really knowing what
I was doing outside of it, not feeling you know
now I play, and I think I've got myself in
a position where i can leave basketball and I'm really
confident and comfortable when I'm going outside of it. So
(06:32):
it takes a lot of pressure off the actual the
playing of the sport itself, and I love the balance.
I'm sitting to be a teacher at the moment, so
I love that I can use my skills and mentoring
and culture and basketball happen onto the patrooment into another
practical kind of skill that I'm developing.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
The natural question by some fans listening might be there
is a there's a World Cup next year, are you
are you sort of it's still an option for you?
Like are you are you fully out of sort of
other commitments beyond this league? Now?
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Yeah, Look, I think it's hard to play any international
sport if you're not playing year round. And because I
only played to her here during the like for the
four months of the year, it's pretty hard to then
go and play an international match because those are just
those the next level. So i'mvertursing my career, my next steps.
Really if it works out, it worked out, but I'd
(07:26):
say it's pretty unlikely that I'll I'll be involved in
that just given I need to figure out how I'm
going to entertain twenty more children for six hours a
day anyway.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Yeah, yeah, it's challenged itself, isn't it.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
All right?
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Well, still great to catch up, appreciate your time and
congrats on the season so far and a big couple
of weeks ahead for the Queens. So I'm all the
very best and I hope, as you say, we can
see some playoff basketball and Wellington over the next few weeks.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Yeah, that would be awesome. Come out and support. It's
really really fun environment to be around. I hope to
see people next home game. I stay hear this and
are listening and get them get motivated and yeah, thanks
thanks for having me.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Thanks stell A big from the tokamano A Queen's three
pm tip off today.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
For more from News Talks ed B listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio.
Right around the Wellington region. The All Sport Breakfast with
Rutherford and Bond, Toyota and King Toyota, your home of
hybrid use Talk Zippy.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Eleven to eight here on the All Sport Breakfast. Well,
it's the top of table clash in the toy Hi
National Women's Basketball League today up and toto A the Fight,
hosting the Wellington team. The Tocamato were Queens and as
part of the Queens is leading New Zealand and Wellington
basketball are Stella Beck. Who's with us now, Stella morning
to you. You must be excited for this one, I guess.
Also rebounding from both a loss and a win last weekend.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Yeah, well, thanks, first all, thanks thanks for having me. Yeah,
it's an interesting time. Now everyone's played each other once,
so every team has kind of got to feel about
how they're gonna match up against. I think we've got
a really really positive start aside from that one once
we had a tough conditions leading up to it, but
(00:55):
we're coming together. Well, We've got a really on the court,
gets on really well, but also more importantly, off the court,
we're all we're really tight and have an awesome time
hanging out together. Which makes road trips a lot easier
less of the time, certainly makes a twelve hour airport
hangout much easier than other times. But all the teams
(01:17):
are looking really strong. I think the customers struggles two
close ones, so they easily could have had a couple
by now. We played to Fire this weekend, which is
going to be a tough game. I think that they're
they're coming along really nicely. They're looking really such people well, and.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
I mean you talk about that that tough, you know.
I know the travel disruptions were hard getting down to
christ Church last weekend and almost lucky you got down there,
I believe. Did you have much time dwelling on that
result ahead of the home game on Sunday or did
you kind of draw a line in the sand pretty
fast and look ahead.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
I think we're definitely. I mean, it's such a short season.
You can't really dwell on too much. You can't. You've
got to have like this next play, next game Intaladay,
and especially that game with christ which I mean they
just shot the ball INCREDIBLYU well, I thought they played
incredibly well. We probably didn't come into it with the
best mindset, but sometimes you know, you can't stop a
moving train, and that just kind of is the way
(02:14):
I felt that game. So we moved on. We thought,
let's get the one on Sunday. That's probably more important
for us, especially considering we were down thirty at the
halftime or something. Anyway, we just thought let's move on.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
Yep, fair enough and still, I mean, people that will
be watching the Queens for the last few years know
that you're You're a very influential player. You like to
lead the team through actions on the court. With a
new roster this year, a couple of other high profile
names within the Queen's environment, has your role changed much
this year on court? Do you believe?
Speaker 3 (02:44):
Yeah? Definitely this. I mean there's always face for more hosses.
I think that this year we've got particularly experienced players,
and some of which I've captained alongside, luckily enough, Butanina
obviously through the Tallpins, we've shared that role together. So
I think it just adds another layer to our team.
We're really inclusive of everyone's experiences and what they can bring,
(03:05):
and that's really important, and I think that's the skill
We really high caliber players, not just skill wise, but
like mindset wise. They've got some amazing additions and amazing modifications.
And our coach Tans, I mean, she really leaves based
for people to bring input, which is really lucky for us,
and I think it really really adds to our team.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Give us sort of a rundown of an average week
now building up to a game like the Fire team that,
as you say, you're expecting to be pretty fit. They've
had some good wins there at that's sort of top
end of the competition. Now, how are you preparing through
the week for a big game like that?
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Yeah, we've got we train every day after our weekend.
You know, we have a day off when we arrived
back home. Once well, we arrived back, played at home,
had the day off the next day, some time to
relax and switch off a little bit, and then straight
back into it Tuesday, basically, so we've trained every day
since then lifted a couple of days as well, just
(04:02):
to get the load up and the tendons they seem
to like that. And we focus on us for the
majority of the week. What are we going to do,
what's important for us to do, how do we make
our game sound? And then we spend the latter part
of the week focusing on what I do and preparing
ourselves for some of their sets and some of their
(04:23):
key players, and how we can kind of combat combat
their offense and where we can where we can look
to I guess, exploit them and get some cheapies.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Yeah, and results so far this year indicator a pretty
tight league and there's not much room for errors. There's
a bit of time for redemption, I guess at this
point of the season. But I guess that's pretty tight.
And you know, just these last couple of years, how
far has the league come in terms of its its
competitiveness and its demands as a player.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
Do you feel Yeah, I think it's an incredible leg
I feel insanely grateful to be able to play in it,
and certainly to hometown. I think that every year it's
just such a listening because the competition of news on
that girl's coming up to and I think I could
play in that one day. But also we get to
play in it as Kiwi's You're like, you say, it's
(05:12):
really tight. I think that what's important of the season
is to kind of gain your momentum towards the back
end of the season. You know, we often struggle or
teams often have a little bit of a hurd or
have a little bit of speed bumper they go over,
and then it's all about the even and you really
want to get that flow going as you come around
(05:33):
to the semi finals in the finals, So timing that's
really hard. Timing that's really critical at the end of
the day because it's so tight at the moment, you
want to focus on trying to get a home home final,
home semi finals, you play in front of your crowd,
have that six man on your side, and you really
want to find stride as you enter that that those
last two games.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
Yeah, brilliant, Sell. I know in the last couple of
years you've taken a bit of a step back from
some of your other basket balling pursuits and sort of
balancing work and hoops a little bit more. Well, I
guess how do you find that? Do you enjoy your
basketball a little bit more when there's less commitments throughout
the course of an average Yet?
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Yeah, I totally think that having something outside of the
sport just adds to it as much more put a
lot of pressure on the sport, not really knowing what
I was doing outside of it, not feeling you know
now I play, and I think I've got myself in
a position where i can leave basketball and I'm really
confident and comfortable when I'm going outside of it. So
(06:32):
it takes a lot of pressure off the actual the
playing of the sport itself, and I love the balance.
I'm sitting to be a teacher at the moment, so
I love that I can use my skills and mentoring
and culture and basketball happen onto the patrooment into another
practical kind of skill that I'm developing.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
The natural question by some fans listening might be there
is a there's a World Cup next year, are you
are you sort of it's still an option for you?
Like are you are you fully out of sort of
other commitments beyond this league? Now?
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Yeah, Look, I think it's hard to play any international
sport if you're not playing year round. And because I
only played to her here during the like for the
four months of the year, it's pretty hard to then
go and play an international match because those are just
those the next level. So i'mvertursing my career, my next steps.
Really if it works out, it worked out, but I'd
(07:26):
say it's pretty unlikely that I'll I'll be involved in
that just given I need to figure out how I'm
going to entertain twenty more children for six hours a
day anyway.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Yeah, yeah, it's challenged itself, isn't it.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
All right?
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Well, still great to catch up, appreciate your time and
congrats on the season so far and a big couple
of weeks ahead for the Queens. So I'm all the
very best and I hope, as you say, we can
see some playoff basketball and Wellington over the next few weeks.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
Yeah, that would be awesome. Come out and support. It's
really really fun environment to be around. I hope to
see people next home game. I stay hear this and
are listening and get them get motivated and yeah, thanks
thanks for having me.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Thanks stell A big from the tokamano A Queen's three
pm tip off today.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
For more from News Talks ed B listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio.
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