At just 14 and 16, Ginger and Miller have already found sporting success. Photo: Keeli Dyson.
Two Kiama teenagers are proving themselves as up-and-coming sporting sensations, with the siblings’ discipline and determination leading to their success in multiple sports, which has been recognised with government grants.
From a young age, Miller and Ginger Siasat found their spark on the sporting field, track, on sand and in the water.
Whether it was solo efforts or team sports they were involved in, the siblings were never afraid to try something new and explore opportunities with physical activity.
“I’ve been playing sport my whole life,” 16-year-old Miller said. “I started Nippers from about five, and athletics around the same time.
“I also started in rugby league and a few years later I switched to union and that’s where I’m at now.
“I also kept Nippers all the way up until last year, and am still going with athletics.
Fourteen-year-old Ginger also started Nippers and Tiny Tots Athletics when she turned five, but it took a while for her to find the sport that’s right for her.
“I started off with dancing for one year, then had enough, moved to soccer, then went to league tag when they had the first under 10s team here.
“I played league tag for four years and then they started a rugby program in Kiama so I came to Rugby 7s, loved it and haven’t turned back since.”
They thrived at whatever they put their mind to, soon climbing to represent at state and national levels of competitions, with this year alone Miller competing in the Australian Track and Field Championships, and Ginger playing at the Australian School and Junior Rugby Championships.
But they haven’t relied on natural talent to get by.
“It’s really hard to explain how much they prepare for things,” their dad Frederick said, who is “beyond proud” of his children.
“What people see is just their game or race or whatever it might be but there’s a lot in the background.
“Both go to gym, do their strength, do whatever their coaches tell them, eat right, sleep right – but on the flip side they’re really academically strong as well as really committed to their studies.
“To be able to balance all that, as well as maintain a social life and work as well – they’ve got causal work – is just a credit to both of them and how they manage themselves.”
For Miller it’s all about planning, particularly as his schooling commitments get even more rigorous in senior years of high school.
“I like to schedule things out pretty heavily,” he said.
“Obviously when you’re doing a lot of training and you’ve got lots of commitments it’s pretty important to balance everything and still make sure you’re prioritising the right things.”
Their motivation doesn’t just come from the accolades.
“Obviously hard work leads to good outcomes and also I think especially in rugby, it takes you places, you meet new people and those girls that you meet – you’re friends forever,” Ginger said. “I’ve met the best girls through rugby and I think that’s a big motivator.”
“It connects villages as well; she knows people in Shellharbour and all the way through the Illawarra, and so does Miller,” Frederick said.
“That’s the beauty of sport, it builds relationships.”
Now the two aspiring athletes are among 12 South Coast recipients to receive a Federal Government grant to support their participation.
“We have lot of gratitude,” Miller said. “Obviously those opportunities are pretty special and for them to be able to give us enough to help us get there it’s really making dreams come true and helping us keep going.”
With Miller working towards returning to the national championships for athletics in hope of making the University of Sydney Elite Athlete Program, and Ginger looking ahead to the nationals in athletics in April and making the NSW team in rugby again, the siblings clearly have exciting sporting careers ahead.
But they’re just taking it one day at a time.
“I like to just keep small goals,” Miller said. “So I can keep chipping away.”
