Between medals and frustration, the paradox Nick Healy

Nick Healy won almost everything. Elite world champion with New Zealand in 2018 for its first participation, this big guy of 1m94 for more than 90kg makes the good days for the land of the long white cloud. From a joke between friends to medals and titles, let’s see the story of a sacred kiwi, yes, but also cursed captain.

Sometimes the best decisions are the most unexpected. Back to school in 2009, 11-year-old Nick must choose which sport to play all year long. While he and his friends were going to choose water polo, the students of Scots College in Wellington were intrigued by another sport which is also played in the swimming pool: underwater hockey. « It was so weird that it made us want to try. » The six friends are passionate about this activity. So much so that today only one of them no longer practices it. With their school, Nick and his group of friends participated in two inter-school championships without ever winning a single one. During their first participation Nick even did some errors during the semi-finals that cost the qualification to his team. « I made a huge mistake that allowed the opposing team to score the golden goal. My coach was furious, I wanted to hide. » These first two years without a medal or a trophy did not impact his desire to play a sport that he defines himself as a « drug ». Living in the suburbs of Eastbourne, Nick has been able to benefit from the unwavering support of his parents who are looking for an almost daily hour’s journey to take him to train and take his dose of underwater hockey.

It was in 2011 that Nick’s young career took a first turn. Now a student at Wellington College, he met his first « mentor » there: New Zealand’s international Elite, Richard Maxwell. He was such a source of inspiration for Nick that he refused to follow his friends to the Phoenix club to join Richard’s Crocodylus. The beginning of a success waterfall for Nick, even if the frustration will eventually lie in wait.

The cursed captain

“I remember signing up and telling myself that I was going to give up in 3 or 4 weeks so if I had been told that I was going to play for New Zealand and travel around the world I would have laughed at your face ! » But, Nick has indeed traveled and won titles. Seven national championships with his club, an inter-school championship with Wellington where he even scored in the final, he also won the U23 world championship with the New Zealand selection at only 16 years old and especially the Elite in 2018 at 22 years old. And yet the predominant feeling is dissatisfaction. That of the captain. « I never managed to lead a title team. It’s like a curse that haunts me. ” He was twice captain of his school in 2012 and 2013 for two 2-1 defeats in the final against his friends who remained at Scots College. Friends who obviously do not fail to mock him even today by saying that it would have been better to stay with them. Nick was also twice captain of the U24 national team at the 2015 and 2019 worlds for two bronze medals. He has long taken pleasure in his role as a soldier who respects orders and admits having difficulty asserting himself as a leader. Now exclusively an Elite player where he found his mentor Richard Maxwell, he is no longer the team captain, logical for his young age. Despite everything, Nick tries to create emulation within the New Zealand group in order to preserve the world title. He mainly warns his teammates about the progression of tough opponents like Turkey, the bane of the Kiwis in the youth