Whilst playing for St Cuthbert's College in Year 7 and Year 8, her then coach encouraged her to trial for the Auckland Under-15 Team. She made the Auckland Under-15 Mixed Team which competed at the 2013 Touch Nationals.
Once she commenced Year 9, she made it into the Premier Team, and over the past three years she has continued to learn and grow as a player.
"My favourite part of touch is the sense of community and the strong bonds you make within the team and with others that play. You will never be with the exact same team again, so you cherish your time together and it is quite surprising how much people bond over chucking a ball around."
"Along the way, you learn many life lessons from all the different coaches you encounter and you never forget the unique experience each one brings. I love touch because of the sense of belonging it brings me, knowing that there is always a team to go back to and I feel closer with my New Zealand culture because it is such a Kiwi sport."
By representing New Zealand, Lydia has had the opportunity to meet so many people from all over New Zealand, and she thoroughly enjoys playing for Auckland.
"Playing for Auckland is an honour that I do not take for granted. For me, playing touch is about the atmosphere and the bonds you create, and to be able to represent where I come from in the process is just a bonus."
