From Newcastle, NSW, Tanisha Stanton is the true definition of an “all-rounder”. After excelling in hockey then athletics, at just 15 years of age, Tanisha has played at the state and national level in both Netball and Touch Football, and has just been named in the U18 Australian women’s touch football team. Oh, and she’s already won a Deadly award…
Congratulations on your 2011 Deadly Award for Most Promising New Talent in Sport – how did you feel when your name was read out?
Tanisha Stanton: It was just so unexpected, but it was a great feeling, and such an honour. It makes me very proud. I’m very proud of what I’ve achieved so far, it’s been a lot of hard work and effort, but it’s been worth it.
You’re excelling in both netball and touch football. Do you prefer one over the other?
I love them both and I enjoy going to both of them, but sometimes when I’m at one I kind of get over it so it’s good that I can just bounce back to the other one. It’s kind of hard to choose between them.
How do you find time for your sports and your schoolwork?
It keeps me extremely busy, and we’re always on the go. My parents take me everywhere, but my sister gets her Ps next month so my parents will probably make her start driving me! It’s a challenge with school, but I try to work around that and it’s going pretty good at the moment. I like PE and I like English as well. I’m looking at nutrition and dieting and stuff like that for down the track – uni sounds good.
Who are your sporting heroes?
Definitely Bo de la Cruz who I’ve met. One of my friends went to an Aboriginal tournament with her in New Zealand with an Indigenous team, and I’m hoping to play with that team. Cathy Freeman is another big hero of mine. From touch footy, Emily Hopkins who plays in the Australian team is another, and Dylan Hennessey who used to play for Australia as well, I’m good friends with them.
Who has helped you and supported you to achieve your goals so far?
Definitely my mum and dad and my sister, and all my family back in Gadooga and all my family in Newcastle who have been really supportive, so definitely my family and my friends as well.
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