Tania Dalton's brave daughter:‘I STILL FEEL CONNECTED TO MUM'

Basketballer Tayla’s making her late Silver Fern mother proud by living out her hoop dreams in America

- Kasia Jillings

It’s been five years since Silver Fern legend Tania Dalton unexpectedly died from a brain aneyuresm. But her legacy still lives on in her 20-year-old daughter Tayla, who is following in her talented mum’s footsteps both on and off the court.

“Not a day goes by that I don’t think of Mum, but she wanted me to do what I love and chase my dreams – and that’s exactly what I’m doing,” says Tayla.

The young Kiwi lives in San Francisco, where she is playing division-one basketball and studying for a business degree on a scholarship at St Mary’s College. It’s a busy life – two basketball games and at least 20 hours of physical training per week, plus her classes and studying. But Tayla is copying Tania’s example and cramming life full of the things and people she loves.

“I’m getting the best of both worlds,” she asserts. “I’m able to study something I’m really passionate about and I get to travel while playing the sport I love at such a high level too.”

Her mum was a sharp shooter on the netball court and a commentator on Sky TV, but Tania was also renowned for her love of helping others. It’s a value she and husband Duane instilled in Tayla and her brothers Charlie and Matthew.