Rotorua students to lead teams on tour of US | Rotorua Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Rotorua

There's no doubting the smiles on the faces of Sarah Banham and Amy Keech.

The Rotorua Girls' High School Year 13 students are about to lead their respective soccer and basketball teams on a three-week tour of the United States and they are excited.

"Seeing everything and being in a different place it's kind of daunting," Keech told the Daily Post before flying out today.

"It will be cool living with an American family though and really cool to be there in the build-up to Christmas."

The pair will be joined by 20 teammates and five adults including Girls' High's director of sport Tanya Lee Parker and sport co-ordinator Ngaire Lee, who have both worked tirelessly to organise the three-week visit to Rotorua's sister city Klamath Falls, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Hawaii.

"The idea was initiated last year when some councillors from Klamath Falls came to Rotorua and suggested we send some sports teams over," recalled Lee.

"Rotorua Girls' have been over to the USA twice before in exchanges for basketball with Redwood High School in Marin County, San Francisco and they have come here in return."

After visiting Klamath Falls and being billeted out by local families, the girls' basketball team will be hosted by Branson High School and will line-up in a local tournament in San Francisco. The soccer team will be hosted by Redwood High School and play a series of invitational games.

"It'll be very interesting to see how we compare with the American teams," said Banham, the captain of the 1st XI.

"But it's pretty daunting - they're supposed to be very strong and we're just hoping to play our best."

Following the competitions, the two teams will reunite and have the opportunity to spend time "chilling out" and sight-seeing in LA and Hawaii before returning home.

Rotorua Girls' has invited their host schools to visit the Sulphur City next year, however Lee was unsure if the invitation had been accepted.

The Rotorua Girls' High's soccer 1st XI and basketball teams return on December 22.