Shooter Maia Wilson has traded her bib for a pair of boxing gloves, as she looks to work her way back into the Silver Ferns' starting squad.
Wilson has been a regular at renowned Peach Boxing – home of world champion Mea Motu - where she's into week four of a six-week programme to improve her overall conditioning, which she concedes has been a weakness in her game.
"I got thrown into it a little bit," Wilson told Newshub. "My partner has been trying to get me into boxing just for some extra fitness for a while now.
"I was quite hesitant because being a professional athlete sometimes people think you should be a lot fitter than what you are when you go into different arenas, so I was bit nervous about that.
"But once I let the ego down a bit and just came out and showed up battered and bruised it was quite refreshing so I'm glad to be here."
The veteran was overlooked for selection in the final three Constellation Cup tests against Australia, after struggling in the shock defeat to second-string England.
Amid increasing competition for her position from the likes of Grace Nweke and rising teen star Amelia Walmsley, Wilson is eager to try to gain any edge possible.
She's been put through her paces by head trainer Issac Peach, working alongside the likes of Motu and world champion prospects Jerome Pampellone and Andrei Mikhailovich.
"Hopefully it means I'll be able to last longer, go faster and jump higher and those sorts of things, but just really developing the endurance part of my game would be awesome.
"Mea is an absolute beast. They don't call her the nightmare for nothing.
"You see a lot of power and mana that comes through in who she is, her back story and what she puts in the ring.
"What I've learned from this whole process is what goes on behind closed doors... the kind of work ethic she has is something I really admire.
Motu - who is preparing to defend her IBO super bantamweight world title in her hometown of Whangārei on December 2 - said she's been impressed with what Wilson has brought to the ring.
"Shes training hard and she actually quite surprised me considering I don't like netball," said Motu. "She's pretty mean and aggressive.
"It doesn't matter if you're a netball player, if you're training with us you're looked at as a professional fighter and we treat each other equally – there's no special treatment.
"She couldn't believe that she could do what we can do but look at her now. She can push her limits and go beyond."
But for as much as Wilson and enjoyed the experience, don't expect to see her done the gloves in anger anytime soon.
"I am honestly so useless and uncoordinated that I doubt you'll ever see me in a boxing ring.
"It's definitely been a humbling experience. It's taught me to dig deep a lot.
"In my position you're used to training alongside some really fit and fast people but then you come into this arena and it a whole completely different ball game
"It's definitely put me in my place but it's also something that has given me a bit more mana in what I do and what I can take out of it."
