Inside the Circle with Olivia Shannon: Black Sticks, World Cup Qualification and Leading New Zealand
From growing up on a farm in New Zealand and choosing hockey over rugby to captaining the Black Sticks and qualifying for another World Cup, Olivia Shannon’s journey has already taken her around the world.
Still only in her mid-20s, Olivia has represented New Zealand at an Olympic Games, World Cup and Commonwealth Games, played club hockey in England and New Zealand, experienced the first women’s Hockey India League, and taken on the responsibility of leading a young Black Sticks side into a new era.
In this edition of Inside the Circle, Olivia joins Total-Hockey to talk about winning the 2025 Oceania Cup against Australia, New Zealand’s decentralised national programme, the disappointment of missing Paris, her Gryphon equipment, playing men’s club hockey back home, life in the Hockey India League and why experiencing different leagues and cultures can make you a better player.
Watch the full Inside the Circle interview with Olivia Shannon below, or keep reading for the biggest stories, insights and lessons from her journey with the New Zealand Black Sticks and around the world.
Winning the Oceania Cup Against Australia
The interview begins with one of the biggest moments in Olivia’s recent career.
New Zealand had just won the 2025 Oceania Cup, beating Australia in a dramatic three-match series.
The rivalry between the two nations runs far deeper than hockey.
Rugby.
Netball.
Cricket.
Almost every major sport brings an added edge when New Zealand face Australia.
Olivia describes it almost like a sibling rivalry.
You desperately want to beat them.
But when Australia head off to compete against the rest of the world, New Zealand players are often among the first to support them.
A Three-Match Battle
The Oceania Cup isn’t decided by one game.
New Zealand needed to perform across a three-test series.
They won the opener.
Australia responded in the second.
Then the deciding match became a battle.
Australia scored first.
New Zealand fought back.
And the series eventually went to a shootout.
Trusting the Shootout
New Zealand had already discussed the possibility beforehand.
If the match was level late on, they weren’t necessarily going to gamble by removing the goalkeeper.
They trusted the goalkeeper.
They trusted the shootout takers.
Get to the shootout and give themselves the chance.
That confidence paid off.
Qualifying for the 2026 World Cup
Winning the Oceania Cup also secured something even bigger:
qualification for the 2026 Hockey World Cup.
That achievement carried extra significance because the Black Sticks had missed qualification for Paris.
For Olivia and the wider programme, reaching the World Cup provided reassurance that the team was moving back in the right direction.
It was also a major milestone for a young squad still learning how to perform together.
A New Black Sticks Era
New Zealand’s women’s programme has changed significantly in recent years.
The current team is young.
Very young.
Olivia is captain at 24 and still considers herself relatively early in her own international career.
Under coach Phil Burrows, the programme has deliberately introduced a new generation of players.
At one stage, only a small number of players in the squad had more than 50 international caps.
That creates challenges.
But also opportunity.
Building Towards LA 2028
The long-term objective is clear:
Los Angeles 2028.
The World Cup matters.
Every international series matters.
But the programme is also thinking several years ahead.
Young players are being exposed to pressure now so that, by the time the next Olympic qualification cycle arrives, those moments feel more familiar.
For Olivia, that development process is one of the most exciting parts of leading the team.
Growing Up With Future Black Sticks
Because New Zealand is relatively small, many of the players have known each other for years.
Olivia has teammates she first played alongside in regional hockey as a teenager.
One of her closest friends has been playing hockey with her since they first picked up sticks around the age of 10 or 11.
Years later, they’re Black Sticks together.
That shared history helps create a strong connection inside the squad.
Hockey Wasn’t Olivia’s First Sport
Olivia didn’t pick up a hockey stick until she was around 11.
Before that, rugby was her sport.
She had been playing since she was about four years old.
And in New Zealand, that isn’t exactly unusual.
Rugby dominates the sporting landscape.
For a while, Olivia could genuinely have followed either pathway.
Choosing Hockey Over Rugby
The decision arrived around the time she was choosing where to go to school.
One option would have kept her closer to rugby.
Another meant moving away to boarding school and focusing more heavily on hockey.
Olivia chose hockey.
Partly because it was new.
Partly because it offered a different challenge.
And partly because she could see what the Black Sticks women were achieving internationally.
Watching New Zealand compete at Olympic Games made the sport feel exciting.
What Rugby Gave Her Hockey
The rugby background never disappeared.
Olivia still sees it in the way she plays.
She describes herself as an aggressive hockey player.
Physical.
Direct.
Willing to compete.
For a striker, those traits can be extremely valuable.
Hockey may not have the same contact as rugby, but strength, body positioning and bravery still matter.
From One Team to Five
Once Olivia committed to hockey, things escalated quickly.
At one stage during school, she was playing for four or five hockey teams at the same time.
School hockey.
Regional hockey.
Club hockey.
Age-group programmes.
Senior regional competition.
It sounds chaotic.
Olivia loved it.
The New Zealand Hockey Pathway
Her route through the system involved regional teams before moving into larger representative programmes.
Eventually came New Zealand under-18 and under-21 involvement.
Then the biggest opportunity of all.
A senior Black Sticks trial.
Olivia was still at school.
Moving to Auckland at 17
She earned a Black Sticks contract before finishing high school.
At the time, New Zealand operated a centralised programme.
That meant moving to Auckland.
For a 17-year-old from a farm and a small community, it was a huge life change.
Big city.
Senior international athletes.
Full-time hockey.
And a completely new environment.
Learning From New Zealand Legends
Olivia entered a squad containing some of the biggest names in New Zealand hockey.
Experienced internationals.
Olympians.
Players she had watched growing up.
She was considerably younger than most of the group.
But the senior players helped her settle.
They taught her what international hockey looked like.
And they gave a teenage player the confidence to believe she belonged.
From Centralised to Decentralised
The Black Sticks programme now operates very differently.
After COVID and changes in funding, the system became decentralised.
Players no longer all live and train together in Auckland.
Instead, they are based around the country or overseas.
For a national team, that creates obvious challenges.
But it has also opened new opportunities.
Why Decentralisation Can Work
Players can now spend more time playing overseas.
Belgium.
England.
Other international leagues.
Those experiences can expose Black Sticks players to stronger domestic hockey and different coaching ideas.
Back in New Zealand, players train within their regions.
Sometimes that might involve large groups.
Other times only a few national players are together.
It’s far from the traditional model.
But it’s the reality the team has learned to work with.
Playing Men’s Club Hockey in New Zealand
One particularly interesting part of Olivia’s routine is that she sometimes plays men’s club hockey in Hawke’s Bay.
Why?
Competition.
In smaller regions, the local women’s standard may not always provide the challenge required by an international player.
Playing against men creates a different test.
The ball moves faster.
Passing windows close more quickly.
Physicality increases.
Olivia has to make decisions earlier.
Learning From Every Type of Hockey
She doesn’t see playing men’s hockey as a compromise.
She sees it as another opportunity to improve.
You might think a pass is available.
Then an opponent closes the space faster than expected.
You adapt.
You learn.
For Olivia, almost any competitive hockey can teach you something.
A National Team That Barely Trains Together
The contrast between the old and new programme is enormous.
Olivia says the Black Sticks may now spend only around 50 days per year together.
That includes everything.
Camps.
Tours.
Test matches.
Travel.
Compare that with previous generations who could play around 50 international matches in a year.
It shows just how much the programme has changed.
Making Limited Time Count
That lack of time makes team culture even more important.
You can’t waste the days you have.
When the squad comes together, everyone needs to be aligned quickly.
Olivia believes that’s one reason the current group has become so connected.
The players understand their challenges.
They know they don’t have the same resources as some other major hockey nations.
So they lean heavily on each other.
Punching Above Their Weight
That mentality is deeply familiar in New Zealand sport.
Small population.
Limited resources.
High expectations.
Olivia believes the Black Sticks need to embrace that identity.
They may not have everything the biggest programmes have.
But they can compete through culture, commitment and playing for one another.
The Oceania Cup victory was proof that the approach can work.
Becoming Captain of New Zealand
Olivia’s own role has changed too.
Following the disappointment of missing Paris, she was asked to take on the captaincy.
That gave her difficult experience a new purpose.
She knew exactly what it felt like to miss a major event.
And she didn’t want the younger players around her to experience the same thing.
Missing Paris
Not qualifying for the Paris Olympics was one of the hardest periods of Olivia’s career.
She had already experienced Tokyo.
She knew what an Olympics meant.
Then, after four years of work, the opportunity disappeared.
Olivia describes how quickly a qualification campaign can unravel.
Years of preparation can come down to moments.
A goal.
A result.
A single match.
And suddenly the Games are gone.
Questioning the Entire Journey
The disappointment made her question everything.
Should she have chosen rugby?
Was hockey worth the sacrifices?
Did she really want to keep putting herself through the emotional highs and lows of elite sport?
Watching New Zealand’s rugby sevens players succeed only made those questions louder.
Why Support Matters
Olivia credits the people around her for helping through that period.
Her partner.
Parents.
Friends.
And particularly teammates who genuinely understood what missing the Olympics felt like.
That distinction mattered.
People outside elite sport can sympathise.
But sometimes only somebody inside the same environment really understands why the disappointment runs so deep.
Not Watching the Paris Olympics
When Paris began, Olivia barely watched.
For somebody who had followed Olympic Games throughout her life, that felt strange.
She watched some of New Zealand’s men’s hockey matches and bits of the wider Games.
But emotionally, watching too much was difficult.
When the Olympics finally ended, part of her felt relief.
When Motivation Becomes Too Much
Paris also created enormous motivation.
Perhaps too much.
Olivia admits she was training three or four times a day at one point.
Hockey.
Running hills.
Farm work.
More physical training.
She wanted to make sure she never felt that disappointment again.
But that kind of motivation can become destructive.
Turning Pain Into Leadership
Eventually, her perspective changed.
The goal became less about punishing herself for what happened.
Instead, she wanted to use the experience to help the team.
If she could help the next generation avoid that same pain, then the setback could become something meaningful.
That philosophy now shapes her captaincy.
From the Toughest Year to One of the Best
The contrast has been remarkable.
Olivia describes the year after missing Paris as one of the hardest of her career.
The following year?
One of the best.
New Zealand won the Nations Cup.
Then beat Australia to qualify for the World Cup.
Sport can shift quickly.
That’s part of what keeps athletes coming back.
Learning to Perform Under Pressure
One area New Zealand have deliberately worked on is pressure.
Historically, the team hasn’t always executed well enough in big moments.
Shootouts are a good example.
At Birmingham, New Zealand lost shootouts against England and India.
More recently, they’ve started winning them.
That doesn’t happen by accident.
The group has put more focus on what pressure feels like and how to make decisions inside it.
Tokyo 2020
Tokyo was Olivia’s first Olympic Games.
And like every athlete who competed there, she experienced something completely unique.
New Zealand’s preparation was chaotic.
Lockdowns.
Travel uncertainty.
Heat adaptation.
Constant changes.
Even getting to Japan felt like an achievement.
Preparing for Tokyo Heat
New Zealand’s winter climate didn’t exactly prepare the squad for a brutally hot Tokyo summer.
So they improvised.
Heat chambers.
Saunas.
Hot pools.
Thermal clothing.
Even black plastic bags worn during training.
Whatever helped simulate the heat.
It wasn’t glamorous.
But Olympic preparation rarely is.
Training Through Lockdowns
Auckland’s changing lockdown restrictions made things even more complicated.
Sometimes the players had to leave the city to train elsewhere.
Then a trip to Perth became extended because another lockdown hit.
Instead of a simple pre-Olympic tour, the team suddenly found itself stuck abroad.
Eventually they managed to return home briefly before flying to Japan.
Life Inside the Tokyo Bubble
Once in Tokyo, movement was extremely restricted.
Olympic Village.
Hockey venue.
Back again.
There was little opportunity to explore.
For New Zealand athletes, the rules felt particularly strict.
And after the Games, the restrictions continued.
Fourteen Days Alone After the Olympics
Returning home meant managed isolation.
Fourteen days in a hotel room.
Alone.
Only limited time outside each day.
For someone who grew up on a farm and loves being outdoors, it was a pretty extreme contrast.
One particularly cruel detail?
Watching planes take off from the nearby airport while being unable to leave.
Commonwealth Games in Birmingham
Olivia later experienced the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
That provided a much more traditional multi-sport atmosphere.
New Zealand had arrived after a strong World Cup, where the team equalled its best finish.
Expectations were therefore high.
The Commonwealth Games didn’t go quite as planned.
Two Shootout Defeats
New Zealand lost a semi-final shootout to England.
Then another shootout against India in the bronze-medal match.
Two major matches.
Two shootouts.
Two defeats.
Painful.
But those experiences have helped shape how the current team prepares for pressure now.
Why Missing Future Commonwealth Games Matters
Olivia is disappointed hockey won’t be part of the upcoming Commonwealth Games programme.
For New Zealand, the tournament is particularly valuable.
It creates international matches.
Major-event experience.
Pressure.
And another opportunity for young players to understand tournament hockey.
For a decentralised national team with limited international fixtures, losing those games matters.
Finding International Matches Wherever Possible
That means New Zealand have to become creative.
Tours to the USA.
Matches in China.
Practice games.
Any opportunity to compete is valuable.
A practice match can never perfectly replicate a major tournament.
But the players need minutes.
They need experience.
They need situations where young internationals have to make decisions under pressure.
What Hockey Stick Does Olivia Shannon Use?
Olivia is, in her own words, a Gryphon girl through and through.
She has used Gryphon since she first picked up a hockey stick.
That partnership has effectively followed her entire career.
Her current stick is a Gryphon Pro 25.
Finally Moving to a Bigger Bow
For years, Olivia used a much straighter stick.
Eventually one of her coaches told her it might finally be time to try something with more bow.
She listened.
And liked it.
The extra bow has helped expand what she can do while still giving her the familiar Gryphon feel she trusts.
Why Olivia Prefers a Lighter Stick Now
Her stick preferences have evolved too.
She previously used a heavier stick.
Then moved lighter.
Tried going heavy again.
Didn’t enjoy it.
So the lighter setup stayed.
Olivia freely admits she isn’t obsessed with every technical stick specification.
If it feels good and works for her game, she’s happy.
Why Gryphon Suits Her Game
One thing she does value is hitting power.
As a striker, being able to hit the ball hard matters.
Gryphon sticks have traditionally had a reputation for power.
For Olivia, that suits her naturally aggressive game.
Sometimes the best equipment choice is simply the one that matches what you already do well.
Why Olivia Always Wears a Glove
Protection is another area she takes seriously.
Olivia wears a glove because she has taken plenty of hits to her left hand throughout her career.
Her playing style contributes to that.
She’s aggressive.
Gets low.
Puts her hand near the turf.
Again, some of that may come from rugby.
Protect What You Can
The lesson was drilled into her from a young age.
Good shoes.
Glove.
Mouthguard.
Protect everything you reasonably can.
Because one avoidable injury can remove months from your season.
Break a hand and you might lose weeks of training during a World Cup build-up.
That’s not a risk Olivia sees much value in taking.
Playing in the First Women’s Hockey India League
One of the most exciting chapters in Olivia’s recent career was playing in the first women’s Hockey India League.
It was new.
Unknown.
And potentially something she would never get another chance to experience.
So she decided to go.
Sometimes the best sporting opportunities begin with a simple:
Why not?
Former Opponents Become Teammates
The league brought together players Olivia had spent years competing against internationally.
Suddenly they were sitting in the same changing room.
Training together.
Sharing ideas.
Trying to win together.
That’s one of the biggest attractions of franchise hockey.
International rivals become teammates.
Learning From the Best Players in the World
For Olivia, the biggest benefit was access to different hockey brains.
How do elite forwards think inside the circle?
How do players from different countries approach pressing?
What does another team’s outlet system look like?
How do different coaches communicate?
Olivia describes herself almost like a sponge in those environments.
Listen.
Observe.
Ask questions.
Then take the useful pieces home.
Why Playing Abroad Makes You Better
She strongly encourages younger New Zealand players to play overseas if the opportunity arises.
Different leagues expose you to different problems.
Different coaching.
Different teammates.
Different expectations.
The more hockey environments you experience, the broader your understanding becomes.
And that knowledge can then feed back into the national programme.
England, India and New Zealand
Olivia has now experienced several very different environments.
The English league.
New Zealand’s domestic competition.
Hockey India League.
And more opportunities still ahead.
Each has offered something different.
England provided a stronger week-to-week women’s competition.
India offered elite international teammates and a completely new franchise setup.
New Zealand gives her the emotional connection of representing her home region.
East Grinstead and English Hockey
Olivia has also spent time with East Grinstead.
Moving from warmer international tournaments into an English winter was something of a shock.
But she enjoyed the experience.
The league gave her regular high-level women’s hockey and teammates including some of England and GB’s leading players.
That kind of environment is exactly why overseas experience can be valuable for New Zealand players.
New Zealand’s New Premier Hockey League
Back home, New Zealand has also launched a new domestic competition.
The Premier Hockey League brings together four teams in a franchise-style format.
For Olivia, playing in it carries extra meaning because players represent their region.
The opponents may be friends off the pitch.
During the match?
Not so much.
Why Regional Rivalries Matter
That passion is part of the competition’s appeal.
New Zealand’s international identity is built around fight and commitment.
The domestic league reflects that.
Players are representing the areas that developed them.
That naturally adds another layer of emotion.
Free-to-Air Hockey Matters
The league has also appeared on free-to-air television.
That’s an important step.
If hockey wants to grow, people need to be able to see it.
Professional-looking domestic competitions can also create clearer pathways for younger players.
Watch the league.
See the national players.
Understand where the pathway could lead.
Why Family Matters
For all the travel, hockey and international competition, Olivia describes herself as a homebody.
Family matters enormously.
She enjoys walking the dog.
Spending time with friends.
Getting coffee.
Returning to the farm.
Those things help balance a life otherwise dominated by hockey.
Hockey Isn’t Everything
Olivia loves the sport.
But she doesn’t need to talk about hockey every second of every day.
That distance is healthy.
She jokes that some people are complete “hockey frothers” who could discuss the sport forever.
She isn’t quite at that level.
And that might actually help her career last longer.
Travelling With the People You Care About
Hockey has taken Olivia all over the world.
But many of her favourite travel experiences involve sharing those places with family, her partner or teammates she has known for years.
Her parents have followed much of the journey too.
International hockey may belong to the athlete.
But the experience often becomes part of an entire family’s life.
What Can Hockey Players Learn From Olivia Shannon?
Olivia’s story offers plenty of lessons.
First, you don’t have to start hockey at five years old.
She didn’t pick up a stick until around 11.
She became an Olympian and captain of New Zealand.
Second, other sports can make you better.
Her rugby background still influences her physicality, confidence and aggression on the pitch.
Third, use the hockey environment available to you.
If the local women’s league isn’t challenging enough, find another way to improve.
For Olivia, that sometimes means men’s club hockey.
Fourth, play abroad if you get the chance.
Different countries teach different lessons.
And finally, difficult moments can reshape your purpose.
Missing Paris was one of the hardest experiences of Olivia’s career.
It made her question the entire journey.
Now, as captain, she uses that experience to drive something bigger:
making sure this young Black Sticks group is ready when the next major opportunity arrives.
The World Cup is secured.
LA 2028 is already getting closer.
And for New Zealand’s young captain, the next chapter may only just be beginning.
Watch the full Inside the Circle interview with Olivia Shannon to hear more about the Black Sticks, World Cup qualification, Tokyo, Hockey India League, East Grinstead, Gryphon equipment and life inside New Zealand’s decentralised hockey programme.
