Best friends on and off the field, Shelby Grainger and Brent Nixon are sports mad, year 12 students at Hastings Secondary College who say their relationship is strengthened through their love of sport.
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The highly competitive pair say being romantically involved helps them stay motivated in the classroom and pushes them to be their best on the field.
"We met through playing touch footy and for us it works because we train together but we also value our school work and so studying is important also," Shelby said.
"We both know we have to get through our HSC this year and I know for me sport makes that possible.
"The last week I have had exams and I know without my sport I would not have made it through. Sport is just so good for your physical and mental wellbeing."
Shelby plays basketball, netball and touch football and will be going to compete at state championships in Minto as part of the North Coast basketball team in May.
Even if it is just going down the park to run drills or a session working on some school work we do it together.
- Shelby Grainger
"Even if it is just going down the park to run drills or a session working on some school work we do it together," she said.
"We are super competitive, love winning and it makes it better when we can do it together.
"I am part of a very sporty family and we - my two sisters, mum and dad - have travelled all over the country with us girls playing every kind of sport and now Brent comes as well."
Brent's passion is rugby league and in 2018 made the u18 NSW development touch team. In 2019 he captained u18 Port Makos Junior State Cup team and received the players' player award.
He has played in the open side for NSW Northern Eagles at the Nation Touch League tournament, receiving the players' player again.
Brent is also playing rugby league for the Port City Breakers in 2019 and is hoping to make his first grade debut during this season.
"For me sport is everything and being able to share that with Shelby is pretty great," Brent said.
"My dad played rugby league and so did my brothers so it was natural that I would as well but I love it and playing at a high level is really fun.
My dad played rugby league and so did my brothers so it was natural that I would as well but I love it and playing at a high level is really fun.
- Brent Nixon
"We are both really competitive and we inspire each other so much. It is hard trying to juggle school, sport and a job but we have really supportive people around us and we both work hard."
The pair say that playing sport at a representative level is something that more people should strive for.
"There isn't a lot of information out there about playing at a high level but it is something I definitely recommend to people," Shelby said.
"You get such a high working as part of team and being able to win with friends is really great."
"I hope to continue playing rugby league when I finish school but I am also looking at getting a trade," Brent said.
"It is about balancing and that is something Shelby and I try to do together."
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