A competition so good it brings you home from the US 

300 emails, 4 responses and one American school that was prepared to provide Emme Shearer an opportunity to kickstart her basketball profession. 

That’s what number of emails Shearer despatched to schools in 2020, asking for a spot on their workforce. Whereas most basketball prospects undergo a recruitment company, Shearer was inspired by folks within the basketball neighborhood to strategy faculties instantly. 

After ending faculty in 2019, she had solely been on one school go to that she shortly discovered wasn’t for her. She was speaking to a couple colleges however then Covid hit and people colleges stopped speaking to her. 

She began working a nine-to-five job at a retail retailer and thought that will be her actuality for the subsequent yr, however mum Allison inspired her to go to school and begin her diploma. 

“I assumed perhaps that is what my subsequent yr goes to appear to be, I simply must journey this out. However then my mum mentioned, for those who’re going to be right here it’s a must to apply to go to Auckland College. You’re not going to only sit right here and do nothing, you’re going to begin your diploma,” Shearer mentioned. 

“My mum was critical about it so at that time I sort of rerouted and began hassling colleges once more, telling them that I nonetheless want a spot.” 

With over 360 division one girls’s basketball programmes in America, former Tall Fern and skilled coach Justine Reed helped Shearer discover a few conferences that suited her. 

“My topic line was nationwide workforce participant, six foot wing.” 

“I wasn’t getting recruited and Justine mentioned to bump my peak up slightly, so by the top of it I used to be a 6 ft 2 wing which I’m undoubtedly not however I assumed I’m most likely athletic sufficient to get away with it,” Shearer mentioned. 

After months of hoping and ready, in Might of 2020 Michael Meek, the top coach on the College of Portland, reached out to her with a final minute spot. After three zoom calls in three weeks, she signed with the workforce. 

It’s that very same drive and perception that has led Shearer again dwelling for her debut skilled marketing campaign. 

Starring on the Shore

The 6-foot guard was born and raised in Auckland, spending most of her childhood in Herne Bay, earlier than shifting to the North Shore – a hub for basketball in Aotearoa, producing among the nation’s basketball stars. 

The 23-year-old was a Westlake Women Excessive Faculty basketball and volleyball standout. She performed age grade hoops for North Harbour and the Junior Tall Ferns, whereas additionally successful nationwide titles in volleyball. 

Shearer performed in blended groups from Yr 3 and it wasn’t till she was in her second yr at Ponsonby Intermediate faculty that she moved to an all-girls basketball workforce. 

“I feel it’s an enormous purpose why I loved basketball a lot,” Shearer mentioned. “I appreciated having the ability to tough and tumble with the boys in a way. I’ve two brothers myself, so it was undoubtedly an setting I used to be comfy in.” 

An empty campus

In August 2020, Shearer moved to Portland to start her new chapter which might quickly change into the toughest yr of her life, being within the midst of Covid. 

“The one folks on campus have been the boys’s and ladies’s basketball groups as a result of we have been the one groups who had our seasons assured to be performed,” Shearer mentioned. “There have been actually 30 youngsters on an enormous campus. I didn’t actually have a social life and we took all our lessons on-line. We have been getting examined for Covid three or 4 occasions every week. You then throw in being an 18-year-old in another country away from my household for the primary time.” 

Shearer went on to have a adorned school profession, taking part in essentially the most NCAA Division One video games by any Kiwi. She turned recognized for her scoring prowess and defensive grit. 

In her junior and senior yr, Portland received their convention and went to March Insanity. 

“That was my greatest spotlight since you put a lot effort and time into it for eight months of the yr. You’re within the health club each single day for hours and hours, and at last on the finish you get the rewards. Each years I completely liked my workforce. It was a lot enjoyable they usually’re all my finest pals to this present day.” 

Resulting from Covid, Shearer acquired a fifth yr of eligibility so she might play and examine for an additional season. 

In her closing yr, Portland misplaced their match to qualify for March Insanity however made the Ladies’s Basketball Invitational Event, and beat one of the vital profitable faculties, Stanford. 

Shearer scored a game-high 28 factors within the win and shot the game-winning free throw. It was an enormous achievement, with earlier encounters seeing Stanford beat Portland by 30 or 40 factors. 

By the top of her 5 years in Portland, Shearer achieved an undergraduate diploma and Masters in Finance, all whereas maintaining six hours of coaching a day, plus additional hours of coaching in her personal time. 

“Once you go away New Zealand you realise how small it truly is. The expertise I acquired to have is so invaluable and also you couldn’t replicate that anyplace else. With the ability to go over to America and play basketball, get an training and that life expertise, it actually makes you develop as an individual,” Shearer mentioned. 

“I liked it a lot as a result of I had nice coaches and the individuals who introduced me over are simply nice individuals who care about me as an individual and never only a product for them or somebody who creates wins for them.” 

Making the Tall Ferns

Shearer not too long ago starred for the Tall Ferns on the FIBA Asia Cup the place they completed fifth. 

“It was a dream come true. It’s one thing I had on my listing of issues I wished to do after school. That have was superior, it’s a reasonably new workforce and various veterans have moved on. However I liked it and had a very nice expertise,” Shearer mentioned. 

“Being from New Zealand, you have already got this bond and everybody buys into the Tall Ferns tradition. It was a really enjoyable and straightforward workforce to be round. I feel all of us share the identical targets they usually’ve carried out some actually good work putting in agency values to maintain the tradition going.” 

After forging her personal path to America, the funding from her mother and father because the starting paid off once they noticed her pull on the black singlet. 

“My mother and father are my greatest supporters. They have been so excited after I made the Tall Ferns as a result of it was one thing that I had spoken about and dreamt about for some time.” 

Shearer is concentrated on serving to the Tall Ferns qualify for his or her first World Cup since 1994, with the workforce taking part in in World Cup Qualifiers early subsequent yr. She additionally has her sights set on an Olympic video games. 

Now for Tauihi

Shearer was the Whai’s first signing for the 2025 season that begins later this month. She says she’s trying ahead to creating her debut for the reigning champions. 

“I used to be fairly set on Europe however I feel because it acquired nearer to the time to decide, I assumed truly I do wish to go dwelling,” Shearer mentioned. 

“I noticed how big the league had change into in just a few years and I knew it was one thing I wished to be part of.” 

The chance to be again dwelling for Christmas, nearer to her household and attending to play alongside a particular childhood pal was additionally exhausting to disregard. 

“I’m excited to play with one in every of my longtime finest pals, Tayla Dalton who I performed towards on the Shore rising up. We performed towards one another rather a lot and she or he was in my convention at school in America.” 

After her first dialog with head coach Tane Bennett, Shearer mentioned she was impressed. 

“I had spoken with pals who had been coached by him they usually simply mentioned how a lot of an excellent particular person he was and the way properly he is aware of basketball.” 

“I’m a really technical participant and I all the time wish to know why I’m doing issues. Tane’s philosophy and the best way he understands basketball, the specifics and particulars was one thing that undoubtedly stood out to me.” 

Shearer loves the outside and browsing in her spare time so is trying ahead to being dwelling to discover. 

She’s able to carry her personal distinctive model of play to the Whai lineup, constructing on their success final yr and utilizing her experiences abroad so as to add a brand new chapter to her story. 

The 2025 Tauihi basketball league begins with spherical one from September 26.