Today, Emma Irwin is a Junior Black Stick, but if you catch her in a different season of the year you'll find she's an up and coming cricket international.
"It's pretty nice having options for both," Irwin said.
"If you do kind of get sick of one sport you can always play the other for like a nice break."
But Irwin's "break" entails World Cup tournaments. Earlier this year she was called up into the New Zealand side for the Under 19 T20 World Cup in South Africa.
Next month she'll be packing her bags and heading to the Women's Junior Hockey World Cup in Chile.
"To be talented enough to go and represent your country in any sport is a huge achievement," Junior Black Sticks women's coach Mitch Hayde said.
"To be able to do that across two codes in one year, I guess speaks volumes of Emma."
Irwin's in good company when it comes to dual hockey and cricket internationals.
Sophie Devine is a former Black Stick, now White Ferns captain and before that Lesley Murdoch, who Irwin met earlier this year.
"She said it was a bit different back in the day 'cause they didn't cross over as much," said Irwin.
"I really look up to them and want to try and follow in their footsteps."
Irwin has a cricket contract with the Canterbury Magicians in this summer's Super Smash, with the goal to keep playing both sports for as long as she can.
"I definitely think the hand-eye coordination works well in both sports," said Irwin.
"Definitely at hockey and on the post in the penalty corners, it reflects a lot of my cricket playing down the leg side and stuff like that!"




















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