July 22, 2025 • 9 mins
"I'm completely burned out".
Silver Ferns star Ameliaranne Ekenasio is going on sabbatical - a proper one, not a rugby-style sabbtical where she plays for another club overseas.
She spoke to D'Arcy Waldegrave on Sportstalk about why she's doing this.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Have a chat now with Emeli ran Naka Nacio around
that decision, What happens next, what happened before? Indeed all
come from She joins us now Hello, Hello Amelia?
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Hello, yes hi?
Speaker 2 (00:27):
How are you going very well? And you're going to
have a cup of team to lie down, You're going
to a beach, You're going to do nothing. News out
that you've decided you're not going to play into national
netball this year. First up, tell us how you came
to that conclusion. How long has this been in the
pipeline for what is the drive?
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Yeah, that's a really good question. I think it's probably
been secretly in the pipeline with us for for a
little while, for pretty much this whole year. As the family,
we've just been trying to work out, you know what
is you know what's most important to us and me
as a person, you know what is actually the most thing,
the thing that I want to do the most. Reality
is is that being a mum and you know, and
(01:06):
being a leader and being a professional sportswoman has just
taken its toll on me. Yeah, so I think it's
just been a really important decision just to step away.
And I'm just I'm completely burnt out, and so yeah,
I think I break. It is absolutely necessary. I'm really
looking forward to it. It didn't make it a super
(01:26):
easy decision, but I know it's a right decision.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
How long has you, sail at Bull, been involved in this?
When did you tell then that something has to break
and it wasn't going to be you.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Yeah, Well, I've had I had a couple of decisions, decisions,
oh my gosh, a couple conversations with Knowles and with
other management around it as well. And yeah, I think
they've always known that. It's just always been a really
hard juggle having a family at the same time, and
especially when we start talking into that leadership space, it's
(01:59):
kind of just another weight that I've always worn. So yeah,
I mean, but they've been really supportive in understanding why
I need to break And yeah, so I think that
that's really good.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Timing wise, probably couldn't be better when it comes to representation.
It's not like you're missing a World Cup, Calm Games
and the like.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Yeah, I mean that's right. I think would it be
a different story, I just don't know. I think my
body and my mind and every other part of me,
my spirit, my soul is kind of screaming at me
that this has to happen right now. So I just
I've pushed through this in the past and it just
it just completely breaks me. So I just can't do
(02:41):
that anymore. So, Yeah, I think the timing is right,
and we've got some incredible girls, you know, in the
squad who'll be able to carry it on.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
I'm surprised you haven't come to this decision sooner, Amelia.
And when you talk about your body and your spirit
and your soul all being broken, is this too late?
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Well, I mean, I don't know. I guess. I guess
being you know, such a competitor and I always want
to be better. It's just something that I've always pushed through,
you know, because that's just the reality of sport is that,
you know, you get broken quite a lot. The highs
and highs and the lows are so low sometimes. So yeah,
the time is right now.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
As far as an actual break. In rugby circles, people
have sabbaticals. They just go away and make some more
money and go and carry on playing rugby. This is
an out and out break, isn't it. You're just severing it.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Yeah, well, I mean if there was somebody somewhere else
that I could play netball, you know, who knows that
could be, that could be a real viable option. But
but no, I just need I just need a break now.
And it's just really time to you know, this is
all my kids have known, They've never really had me,
So yeah, it's just time for me to actually give
back and choose my family. For months, my husband supported me,
(03:56):
you know, for so long, put his career, you know,
kind of paused and molded it around any kind of
way that he's needed to continue to support me being
in their space. So it's actually time for me to
put them first for once. And I'm really looking forward to.
I mean, I'm sure I'm going to miss it, it's
all I know, so but I'm really looking forward to,
you know, just getting to be a mom and be
(04:16):
a wife and support my family.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Fluence seventy nine test keps I think off the top
of my head. So you've been there, done that. It's
been a lot. When did you start playing? When did
you first stick a dress on and go? I don't know,
I like this.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Well, I mean, I guess my my debut for Friends
was just over ten years ago, so yeah, that's a
long time before.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Man, before when you started playing, sorry, when you started
playing right early on the days as a Nipper, you've
been playing right the way through since what five, six
seven years old?
Speaker 3 (04:45):
No, Luckily I didn't start playing until I was.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Twelve, so but it's still a long time on the grind.
When are you back? Is there a date where you're
going to return back to action again?
Speaker 3 (04:58):
Well, yeah, good question. I'm just kind of waiting to
see what's happening with our domestic season next year. You know,
that's why I have properly retired, because I do actually
still want to play, and I just love playing, you know.
I think it's just the reality of being a professional
sports person is that it comes with a lot more
than just playing. So yeah, I still am keeping my
(05:20):
options open to see what happens. The reality is that
we're taking a pay cut next year domestically, so just
considering whether that's going to be a viable employment option anymore.
I'd obviously love it to be. So we're just kind
of waiting and seeing, you know what kind of presents itself.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
You mentioned the R word. Was it also a consideration
that you might just gas it completely?
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (05:40):
It definitely was a consideration. Yeah, it was.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
You're not saying much more on that. There would have
been a very difficult thing for you to do, right.
Were you talked out of it or did you see
you better? How did that operate?
Speaker 3 (05:52):
I think well, I mean I think I just sat
with it for a while, and you know, when I
kind of split between my mind on what I wanted
to do, it kind of felt I mean, I guess it.
At one point it did feel like that's exactly what
I was going to do. But but I just don't
think I'm quite ready yet. So yeah, that's why it's
(06:14):
just making myself unavailable right now.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
And of course other news has just come out as
the New Zealand Netball after far too much time, in
my humble opinion, have decided to come to the conclusion
and what are you going to call it? The weakay
rule that players can play overseas and still represent the
silver ferns that the details are still being hammered out,
But that's got to lift you for the future. With
money going down here, money to be made maybe over
(06:39):
in Australia and it exteems your career, right, there's a
great bit of news for netborers.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Yeah, I think it is a really exciting step in
the right direction for all all of our netballers in
New Zealand, especially you know, lots of our silver firms
who who are at the top of their game and
who obviously don't have families and who are younger, you know,
because there's only so far you can go in the
same environments under the same coaches, and I think for
(07:05):
them going over againing new experience, you know, in a
different team. The professionalism and how environments are set up
over there are a stark difference to how you know,
anything we have access here to in New Zealand. So
I think, you know, for any of our girls that
go over there, I think it's a really exciting opportunity.
I'm actually a little bit jealous that it didn't come
in my time, but I think it's going to be
(07:27):
really great for them. They're gonna whoever ends up going over,
they're just going to grow so so much and bring
all those learnings and all that experience back to Silver Fern.
So yeah, I think it's really cool to see.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
And it's a matter of management, isn't it. Who can
go how long they can go forward? Do they have
to have x amount of cats behind them? And so
on and so forth. But they're devils in the detail.
But in general it's going to be brilliant for the game.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
I think so too. Yeah, and you're right, I think
everybody's details will be different, you know. I think it's
an individual kind of base. But it's really great to
have a formalized process now that seems a little bit fairer.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
And last but not least, Amelia around there canasio SkyTV
have made the plunge. They've bought TV three. This is
interesting around free to air rights for sport and the
effect that's going to have on television New Zealand. This
is big for the game too as a paris who's
going to pick it up and who's going to pay
for it? So it's been another little twist for you
(08:24):
as soon as you start your rest.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
Yeah, I know it.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
There is lots happening in Nitbull and New Zealand at
the moment, and I mean, I think for us as players,
it's scary because we just don't know if we've got jobs.
So but in saying that there is changes coming and
they have needed to come for a while. So hopefully
they just work out and you know, in the best
way possible for the sport, because I mean Netbull has
(08:51):
been such a prolific women's sport in New Zealand and
it is a shame to see it go downhill because
the impact we have in our communities is honestly massive.
I mean when we go into schools and you know,
you get to connect with kids that way, and we
only have those opportunity it is because it is a
paid you know, it is a job. So yeah, I
(09:11):
really hope everything works out in the best case, you
know that it can for everybody.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks.
It'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Have a chat now with Emeli ran Naka Nacio around
that decision, What happens next, what happened before? Indeed all
come from She joins us now Hello, Hello Amelia?
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Hello, yes hi?
Speaker 2 (00:27):
How are you going very well? And you're going to
have a cup of team to lie down, You're going
to a beach, You're going to do nothing. News out
that you've decided you're not going to play into national
netball this year. First up, tell us how you came
to that conclusion. How long has this been in the
pipeline for what is the drive?
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Yeah, that's a really good question. I think it's probably
been secretly in the pipeline with us for for a
little while, for pretty much this whole year. As the family,
we've just been trying to work out, you know what
is you know what's most important to us and me
as a person, you know what is actually the most thing,
the thing that I want to do the most. Reality
is is that being a mum and you know, and
(01:06):
being a leader and being a professional sportswoman has just
taken its toll on me. Yeah, so I think it's
just been a really important decision just to step away.
And I'm just I'm completely burnt out, and so yeah,
I think I break. It is absolutely necessary. I'm really
looking forward to it. It didn't make it a super
(01:26):
easy decision, but I know it's a right decision.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
How long has you, sail at Bull, been involved in this?
When did you tell then that something has to break
and it wasn't going to be you.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Yeah, Well, I've had I had a couple of decisions, decisions,
oh my gosh, a couple conversations with Knowles and with
other management around it as well. And yeah, I think
they've always known that. It's just always been a really
hard juggle having a family at the same time, and
especially when we start talking into that leadership space, it's
(01:59):
kind of just another weight that I've always worn. So yeah,
I mean, but they've been really supportive in understanding why
I need to break And yeah, so I think that
that's really good.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Timing wise, probably couldn't be better when it comes to representation.
It's not like you're missing a World Cup, Calm Games
and the like.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Yeah, I mean that's right. I think would it be
a different story, I just don't know. I think my
body and my mind and every other part of me,
my spirit, my soul is kind of screaming at me
that this has to happen right now. So I just
I've pushed through this in the past and it just
it just completely breaks me. So I just can't do
(02:41):
that anymore. So, Yeah, I think the timing is right,
and we've got some incredible girls, you know, in the
squad who'll be able to carry it on.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
I'm surprised you haven't come to this decision sooner, Amelia.
And when you talk about your body and your spirit
and your soul all being broken, is this too late?
Speaker 3 (03:01):
Well, I mean, I don't know. I guess. I guess
being you know, such a competitor and I always want
to be better. It's just something that I've always pushed through,
you know, because that's just the reality of sport is that,
you know, you get broken quite a lot. The highs
and highs and the lows are so low sometimes. So yeah,
the time is right now.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
As far as an actual break. In rugby circles, people
have sabbaticals. They just go away and make some more
money and go and carry on playing rugby. This is
an out and out break, isn't it. You're just severing it.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Yeah, well, I mean if there was somebody somewhere else
that I could play netball, you know, who knows that
could be, that could be a real viable option. But
but no, I just need I just need a break now.
And it's just really time to you know, this is
all my kids have known, They've never really had me,
So yeah, it's just time for me to actually give
back and choose my family. For months, my husband supported me,
(03:56):
you know, for so long, put his career, you know,
kind of paused and molded it around any kind of
way that he's needed to continue to support me being
in their space. So it's actually time for me to
put them first for once. And I'm really looking forward to.
I mean, I'm sure I'm going to miss it, it's
all I know, so but I'm really looking forward to,
you know, just getting to be a mom and be
(04:16):
a wife and support my family.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Fluence seventy nine test keps I think off the top
of my head. So you've been there, done that. It's
been a lot. When did you start playing? When did
you first stick a dress on and go? I don't know,
I like this.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Well, I mean, I guess my my debut for Friends
was just over ten years ago, so yeah, that's a
long time before.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Man, before when you started playing, sorry, when you started
playing right early on the days as a Nipper, you've
been playing right the way through since what five, six
seven years old?
Speaker 3 (04:45):
No, Luckily I didn't start playing until I was.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Twelve, so but it's still a long time on the grind.
When are you back? Is there a date where you're
going to return back to action again?
Speaker 3 (04:58):
Well, yeah, good question. I'm just kind of waiting to
see what's happening with our domestic season next year. You know,
that's why I have properly retired, because I do actually
still want to play, and I just love playing, you know.
I think it's just the reality of being a professional
sports person is that it comes with a lot more
than just playing. So yeah, I still am keeping my
(05:20):
options open to see what happens. The reality is that
we're taking a pay cut next year domestically, so just
considering whether that's going to be a viable employment option anymore.
I'd obviously love it to be. So we're just kind
of waiting and seeing, you know what kind of presents itself.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
You mentioned the R word. Was it also a consideration
that you might just gas it completely?
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (05:40):
It definitely was a consideration. Yeah, it was.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
You're not saying much more on that. There would have
been a very difficult thing for you to do, right.
Were you talked out of it or did you see
you better? How did that operate?
Speaker 3 (05:52):
I think well, I mean I think I just sat
with it for a while, and you know, when I
kind of split between my mind on what I wanted
to do, it kind of felt I mean, I guess it.
At one point it did feel like that's exactly what
I was going to do. But but I just don't
think I'm quite ready yet. So yeah, that's why it's
(06:14):
just making myself unavailable right now.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
And of course other news has just come out as
the New Zealand Netball after far too much time, in
my humble opinion, have decided to come to the conclusion
and what are you going to call it? The weakay
rule that players can play overseas and still represent the
silver ferns that the details are still being hammered out,
But that's got to lift you for the future. With
money going down here, money to be made maybe over
(06:39):
in Australia and it exteems your career, right, there's a
great bit of news for netborers.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Yeah, I think it is a really exciting step in
the right direction for all all of our netballers in
New Zealand, especially you know, lots of our silver firms
who who are at the top of their game and
who obviously don't have families and who are younger, you know,
because there's only so far you can go in the
same environments under the same coaches, and I think for
(07:05):
them going over againing new experience, you know, in a
different team. The professionalism and how environments are set up
over there are a stark difference to how you know,
anything we have access here to in New Zealand. So
I think, you know, for any of our girls that
go over there, I think it's a really exciting opportunity.
I'm actually a little bit jealous that it didn't come
in my time, but I think it's going to be
(07:27):
really great for them. They're gonna whoever ends up going over,
they're just going to grow so so much and bring
all those learnings and all that experience back to Silver Fern.
So yeah, I think it's really cool to see.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
And it's a matter of management, isn't it. Who can
go how long they can go forward? Do they have
to have x amount of cats behind them? And so
on and so forth. But they're devils in the detail.
But in general it's going to be brilliant for the game.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
I think so too. Yeah, and you're right, I think
everybody's details will be different, you know. I think it's
an individual kind of base. But it's really great to
have a formalized process now that seems a little bit fairer.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
And last but not least, Amelia around there canasio SkyTV
have made the plunge. They've bought TV three. This is
interesting around free to air rights for sport and the
effect that's going to have on television New Zealand. This
is big for the game too as a paris who's
going to pick it up and who's going to pay
for it? So it's been another little twist for you
(08:24):
as soon as you start your rest.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
Yeah, I know it.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
There is lots happening in Nitbull and New Zealand at
the moment, and I mean, I think for us as players,
it's scary because we just don't know if we've got jobs.
So but in saying that there is changes coming and
they have needed to come for a while. So hopefully
they just work out and you know, in the best
way possible for the sport, because I mean Netbull has
(08:51):
been such a prolific women's sport in New Zealand and
it is a shame to see it go downhill because
the impact we have in our communities is honestly massive.
I mean when we go into schools and you know,
you get to connect with kids that way, and we
only have those opportunity it is because it is a
paid you know, it is a job. So yeah, I
(09:11):
really hope everything works out in the best case, you
know that it can for everybody.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks.
It'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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