At just 21 years of age, Inglewood’s Parris Mason became one of the country’s few dual international sports stars.
Last year she represented New Zealand in basketball, playing for the Tall Ferns, and in September she achieved a childhood dream — playing Goal Defence for the Silver Ferns
The only daughter in a household of seven, Parris Mason was raised on sport — fighting for her spot on the court or field, became second-nature.
In 2017, while in Year 10 at New Plymouth Girls’ High School, she made national age group representative in three sports — netball, basketball and touch rugby. It was a taste of what was to come.
Three years later she was offered her first professional sports contract with the Central Pulse netball team. Much as she wanted to, she couldn’t legally sign it.
At 17, she was too young.
“Mum signed it for me.”
She remembers her parents were “super-stoked … they knew that’s what I wanted to do, we just didn’t know it was going to come that early.”
Parris had always wanted to play for the Pulse.
“I am Taranaki born and bred … I’ve been on the sidelines as a kid for so many years, I’ve got all the merch … I love this franchise.”
But her Pulse career suddenly stopped.
After playing just 61 minutes and five games over that first season, Mason was sent down to the Pulse feeder team, Central Manawa, for 2022.
Parris was devastated.
She pays tribute to her support system for getting her through that time and
looking back Parris realises she wasn’t quite ready for the rigours of premiership netball.
“I definitely was not an ANZ-built player at the age of 18 and I was not mentally prepared. Competing with someone who’s maybe three or four years older than you, and has had that time to train and condition themselves …”
Plus having to behave like a 23 or 24 year-old when all her friends were living the university life, was also hard.
“I came out of that period stronger and knowing what it was going to take to get back into that yellow dress,” she recalls.
But knowing what she needed to do and getting there was always going to take time.
“I feel like I’m only just starting to get that foundation,” the 21 year-old says.
“You’ve just got to never give up. One person’s opinion is one person’s opinion. Don’t lose sight of that,” she advises. “I made sure I was going to be ready if I got another opportunity. If you want something badly, just go and get it.”
But 2022 wasn’t all bad news.
Covid heavily affected all the teams in the ANZ Premiership and Parris ended up filling in for the Pulse in all but one game that season.
“I was very lucky with how that worked out as I still got paid … otherwise I would have had to get a job or go back to uni.”
She was also able to return to basketball and won three titles that season with the Pulse, Central Manawa, and the Tokomanawa Queens in basketball’s inaugural Tauihi season (the national women’s league).
The following year Mason was promoted back into the Pulse. She sat behind experienced Australian defender Kristiana Manu’a, but got regular short bursts on court and had a great impact.
For the 2024 season the 21-year-old got the nod as the Pulse’s starting goal defence where she guarded the circle with fellow Taranakian, Kelly Jackson (nee Jury).
Parris enjoyed a breakout campaign, playing a pivotal role in helping the Pulse to the grand final, where they were dealt a last second loss to the Mystics.
MAKING THE SILVER FERNS
There was barely time to take in that disappointment when two days later the triallists were announced for the Silver Ferns. Parris couldn’t look and it was Pulse team-mate Maddy Gordon who told her her name was there.
Parris hadn’t had to trial for a team since early high school days so found that a nerve-wracking process. At the end of the final day each triallist was summoned to a meeting with Dame Noelene Taurua and Head of High Performance, Stephen Hotter.
When it was Parris’s turn Dame Noeline simply said ‘Congratulations, you’re in the squad’.
“I wasn’t even sure I heard her right,” Parris admits, “and didn’t take in anything she said after that.
“Then I came out of the room and all the other girls are trying to read your face. I never really believed it until it was posted. I thought I’d misheard her, or maybe she didn’t actually mean it.”
So Parris waited all the following day for the touring teams to be officially announced, with the successful players notified by phone first.
“The minutes were just going so slow and for hours I waited for these lists to come out. I think the time was 6pm that night that the lists were due to go up. It was like ten to six and I was just so sad cos she hadn’t called me yet. I was glad I made the squad but (it looked like) I hadn’t made any of the teams (for the upcoming tours against England and Australia).
“The list came up on the dot of six and I scrolled straight to the Fast Five teams as I’d already made up my mind that I hadn’t made the team for either of the tours. But when I got to Fast Five and my name wasn’t there, I thought ‘Wait … did I just see my name when I was scrolling? And I go back and there was my name on both of the tours!!! I was just gob-smacked. I was alone in my room preparing for disappointment. I live with Maddy Gordon and Amelia Walmsley but we’d all gone to our own rooms, I think just to give me some space, plus they didn’t know if they would be on there either.
“I was in shock and Noels called me about a minute later.”
Parris’s first call after that was to her parents. They were also the ones to present her with her first Silver Ferns dress at a special function a few weeks later.
“Parris has a basketball background and has the potential to deliver an edge to our defensive unit and team,” commented Dame Noelene Taurua when Parris was selected. “She can deliver that man-to-man type of defence and also has an innate awareness of incircle set-up.”
THE FIRST TEST
The day of the first NZ V England game, Parris remembers being just so ready and couldn’t wait to put the dress on.
“I told myself I was not going to cry during the national anthem and ruin my mascara,” but tears had already filled her eyes while ‘God Save the King’ was being played for the English team! As soon as the notes for ‘God Defend New Zealand’ started, the flood was well and truly underway.
“I could feel the cameras were in my face and I tried to hide under Amelia,” she laughs (team-mate Amelia Walmsley). “It was super special.”
She can’t actually remember going on the court the first time.
“I was standing (on the sideline) and heard my name called. I looked down and made direct eye contact with Noels and she yells my name again and she just told me to go on the court. You look at the video of it and I’m looking like such a lost child. Karin (Burger) pushes me into position and here I am playing for the Silver Ferns!”
She claimed a vital intercept almost immediately and Parris thought they would win once she had it.
“But we didn’t,” she laughs now.
Though she played all three matches v England she was carrying an ankle injury into the Constellation Cup series v Australia and had to sit out the first match. But she played in games 2 and 4, even though she couldn’t give it 100%.
Her first match v the Diamonds she came on and pulled off another intercept with her first touch of the ball.
“I had been with the Pulse for nearly four years and three of those years were ‘how can you come on and make an impact?’ You go out there and you’ve got two minutes … what are you going to do with those two minutes, to prove that you can stay there, and do longer minutes? And I’ve had that for three years. So coming on and giving everything I can, it’s what I know best. Bring myself 100% of the time, and make an impact as fast as I can.”
Getting to Know Parris …
At a smidge over 6 feet tall (184cm), Parris Mason turns 22 on 13 December and lists her interests as sport, make-up, travel and fashion.
“If you live with Madeline Gordon you are bound to become a shopper because she is the worst influence,” says Parris, who flats with Gordon and Amelia Walmsley in Wellington.
“She shops 24/7, a new package every single day. At the moment our household is on lots of Australian brands … Kookai, Dish, and we’re in bikini mode.”
She has some little tattoos.
The first one she got (at 19) was a ‘Leo’ symbol — the star-sign of both her mum and her dad.
“Dad’s not big on tattoos. He always says ‘I just don’t want to see anything big on you or see them when you’re in your (netball) dress.’
The second one she got on a Fast Five girls’ trip with her mum, sister-in-law and friends.
“We all got a tattoo … I got the sun, my mum got the star, and my sister-in-law go the moon.”
She got another one on her Kontiki trip with a friend to celebrate their 21sts, then got her favourite quote across (the back of) her neck ‘Nothing can dim the light that shines from within’.
That came from a compliment she was given about her ‘superpower’ at a leadership camp for women in Otaki.
“All my tattoos are sporadic … I want a tattoo, two days later I’ve got it.”
Favourite homemade snack: Vegemite and cheese on toast
The one thing I always pack: My slippers … I will do anything to try and fit my slippers in (UGG slip-ons)
Favourite movie: I love Flicka and Free Willy … in fact all the Free Willy’s
The song you just have to dance to: Rhyme Dust by Dom Dolla
Best travel experience … My Kontiki trip round Europe
… and the worst: I went to New Caledonia with a basketball team and it was just like … all the parents got to go to like the resorts and the beautiful beaches, but where we were it was not good. We were in like hostels, none of our doors locked and it was a nightmare to be … I think we were all like 15/16 year-old girls and all we ate was like lots of like baguettes with like off Nutella.
Something that makes you smile: all my little nieces and nephews
On my bedside table you’ll find … lip balm
A great piece of advice: For me as a dual athlete, I find myself saying this all the time … Never let anyone tell you you have to specialise early. Play as many sports as you can for as long as you can, unless it is adversely affecting you.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME
My Taranaki coffee hit: Cafe Windsor in Inglewood
Go-to restaurant: Gengy’s — we love Genjy’s
My local swim spot: Everett River
Influential teacher, coach or boss: My first basketball coach, Trent Adam, and my Aunty Tarn — she’s just a really influential Maori wahine who carries herself with such mana — she’s a boss dog. And my best friend here who is just such an awesome human and we’ve done so much together and she keeps me really grounded and gives me so much support (Liahna Smith)
Have you summited Mt Taranaki? Yes, with my mum and dad and family friend.
Must-do Taranaki event: WOMAD
