Issue 22: Dystinct Journey of Saffi Vette

Despite a packed schedule as she prepares for the global stage, Saffi is committed to inspiring the next generation by sharing her journey, encouraging young people to overcome obstacles and believe in their potential.

Saffi now trains on the Gold Coast in Australia, where she finds the best opportunities to improve her skills. But her heart is still in Gisborne, New Zealand. "I grew up running around a one-way road on Makorori Beach," she shares. "I spent most of my younger years there with my family on a block of land that's been in the family for four generations now." Returning there every summer to reconnect and regroup is something she looks forward to between surfing seasons.

Growing up, Saffi's years at school weren't the easiest. Her struggles in school became apparent during her intermediate years. "I thought I was keeping up fine, but when it came to reading, comprehension, or solving math problems, I started to realise something was off." She often had creative ideas and thought outside the box, but her peers and teachers couldn't always see her unique point of view. "Everything made sense to me but not to anyone else," she shares.

Saffi Vette's Dystinct Journey

I can hear his voice on the video. It's the best thing I have.

Surfing, introduced to Saffi by her father, Andy Vette, at a young age, became a happy place in a world of worries for Saffi. "I got introduced pretty young. I can't remember exactly," she says with a smile. "I just remember getting boogie boards for Christmas and using them as surfboards. The next year, we got actual surfboards for Christmas." Some of her fondest memories include surfing sessions with her dad, mum, and brother Finn, especially the times her dad filmed them with a new underwater camera. "I have a video of us surfing out front of our house, and I can hear his voice. It's the best thing I have," she reminisces. Surfing became a way to bond with her family and provided a much-needed escape from the pressures of school.

Despite her challenges, Saffi managed to get by in her early years of school, but when she reached high school, things took a turn for the worse. Saffi's teachers noticed her struggles with listening and understanding instructions for assessments and tests and notified her parents, who then decided to have her tested for dyslexia, a process that Saffi found mortifying. "I cried a lot after I found out the results," she admits. The diagnosis was a double-edged sword for Saffi. While it explained her struggles, it also shook her confidence. "It was a relief but also scary as I felt like I was stupid. It feels like you're being put in a position where you actually believe you're stupid, which is not the case. I just have a different way of thinking. After this diagnosis, I lost a lot of confidence in my ability," she shares. "I used it as an excuse a lot of the time as well." Adjusting to the idea that her brain worked differently took time, but eventually, she embraced her unique way of thinking.

I just have a different way of thinking.

Although she admits she had a few supportive teachers up until Year 11 who were willing to help her outside class time, she encountered a particularly bad teacher that year. "High school English in Year 11 was probably the worst year," Saffi shares. "I had been diagnosed recently, and my English teacher could barely care. It was more hindering for her than it was to me, it seemed. She started singling me out in class to make sure I had understood what she was teaching. It was terrifying turning up to school every day knowing I already struggled with English and had a processing disorder and had a teacher bullying me about it too." This lack of understanding and support made year 11 incredibly challenging for Saffi. "I refused to go to school every morning knowing this was happening and this teacher was getting away with it. It's embarrassing enough knowing you're different to your peers and then having your peers laugh at you in class due to the unprofessionalism of a senior English teacher."

Adding to her academic difficulties, Saffi also faced bullying from her peers, but not for the reasons one might expect. Saffi knew from a young age that she wanted to be involved in sports and had dreams of going to the Olympics. "It didn't matter what I was doing, whether it was athletics, rugby or surf lifesaving, I was quite good at it naturally," she shares.

Unfortunately, her athletic success made her a target for bullying. "I was talented at sport so I would give my best at that because that talent wasn't reflecting in the classroom," she explains. "It was very frustrating when my peers were giving me a hard time for something I was finally doing well at and wanting to really excel at when I wouldn't make fun of them in the classroom for doing well in that space. I did get bullied for that, which sucked. [It was] mostly verbal. It was more like a 'mean girl' thing," Saffi recalls. "But I knew my strengths, and they were outside of the classroom - That was sport."

As Saffi continued to struggle at school in Year 11 with the English teacher who didn't care enough to support her and surfing commitments that often kept her away, she began to fall behind in her studies. "I had zero motivation to go to school and just hated it because every day was a struggle to understand the basics of what I was being taught," she shares. "Nothing I did at school gave me joy or any confidence. I cried almost every morning of Year 11. I begged my parents to homeschool because being at an all-girls high school was not a great fit for me either. It was a nightmare for me, unfortunately."

I knew my strengths, and they were outside of the classroom.

The lack of support from the school system and her growing hatred for being there made it clear to her parents that traditional schooling wasn't the right fit for her. "I got offered help with exams and other accommodations, but I never really took it as I felt capable enough to sit with everyone else. I guess I just didn't want to look different to my peers." Saffi transferred to correspondence school in Year 12 and completed part of Year 13 until her father, Andy, was diagnosed with cancer, at which point she dropped out altogether. "School wasn't for me; that's okay, as it is not for everybody. I decided to drop out of Year 13 pretty much and just focus on something that I was good at, and that was surfing," she shares.

School wasn't for me; that's okay, as it is not for everybody.

Dad was my answer to everything. He had 110% confidence in me and let me know that every day.

In September 2020, the Vette family was dealt a devastating loss when Andy passed away from cancer during the Covid-19 lockdown. Andy was a cornerstone in Saffi's life, providing answers, motivation, and the confidence young Saffi desperately needed. "During Covid, our family got slammed with a double whammy. Dad was my answer to everything. He had 110% confidence in me and let me know that every day, even if we were apart. He wasn't just my dad. He was also my coach, my mentor... he was my life mentor pretty much," she recalls. The months following her father's passing seem like a blur to Saffi. "My motivation for surfing went through waves. I think my motivation in life was affected immensely," Saffi shares.

Accepting her father's absence was the hardest part for her. "It's hard dealing with not ever being able to speak to him again, and it is still so painful to know this. But if there's one thing for sure, I know if we don't continue following our passions, he would be gutted. So that gives me great joy to share the ocean and surfing dream with him up above, guiding me through all the peaks and troughs it throws at me. Even going through the toughest event losses, I know he's here with me and giving me a hug when I need it most."

Despite the overwhelming grief, Saffi found the strength to continue her journey in surfing. One of the most significant moments came just three months after her father's passing when she and her brother Finn participated in a national surfing competition. "We went there to have a bit of a holiday and get out of town for a bit," Saffi recalls. It turned out to be a special week for the family, as Saffi won the open women's national title, and her brother Finn won the U18s. "We got awarded Most Outstanding Performers and dedicated that to our dad." The success helped them regain confidence, knowing they would be okay without their dad and coach. "We felt like we almost became closer as a family after this," she shares.

Even with all her achievements and hard work, Saffi faced significant financial hurdles that could have jeopardised her Olympic dreams. Securing the necessary funding for her training and preparation was a daunting challenge. However, the community in Gisborne rallied around her. "I have an amazing community in Gisborne that put on a massive fundraiser for me," she shares. This community effort was bolstered by the involvement of former All Blacks, Andy Jefferd, a friend of Saffi's late father, who led a fundraising drive in Gisborne.

I know he's here with me and giving me a hug when I need it most.

Andy Vette was also a pillar in the surfing community, mentoring countless young surfers, including Saffi and her brother Finn. His legacy and the relationships he built within the community were crucial in garnering support for Saffi. Local businesses also stepped up to help. Pultron Composites, a Gisborne-owned company, not only contributed financially but also asked Saffi to visit local schools to share her story. The idea to share her story with schoolchildren was brought up by a family friend during a sponsorship conversation. Though initially intimidated by the thought of returning to school, Saffi found the experience rewarding. "Heading into these talks was terrifying. I hadn't gone back to school since I left in Year 11, so I was so intimidated. But I learned a lot from speaking to the kids, too. So, it ended up being better than I thought." Saffi spoke to schoolchildren about how "all the hard work and sacrifices you have made will always pay off." These talks were meant to inspire and uplift kids, especially those affected by recent floods and cyclones.

All the hard work and sacrifices you have made will always pay off.

Despite these community efforts, Saffi received little to no funding from High Performance Sport NZ (HPSNZ). "I haven't received any funding personally through HPSNZ," she explains. Surfing New Zealand gets a small amount of funding from HPSNZ annually, which helps with a few things, but more was needed to cover all her needs. Saffi believes there needs to be clearer guidelines and better support systems for athletes striving for the Olympics. "I feel like it's a huge accomplishment to get to an Olympic level, and to not have a base of support to help us with getting medals for our country isn't ideal."

Qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympics was far from easy for Saffi. Her journey was filled with challenges, both expected and unexpected. At the qualifying event, she faced an early setback by exiting in the first round. "Lucky for me, at this event, you get a second opportunity," she recalls. Determined to seize this chance, Saffi regrouped and managed to outperform her teammates in the next heat, securing her spot for the Olympics.

However, her challenges didn't end there. A month later, upon arriving at the Olympic venue for the first time, Saffi suffered a significant setback with a grade 2 tear on her MCL. This injury prevented her from surfing for four months. "That was hard for me because all I wanted to do was train for the Olympics," she shares. Despite this obstacle, Saffi's determination helped her overcome the physical and mental challenges that came with her recovery.

"I moved back to Australia after recovering from my injury because I knew that's where I needed to be," she shares. The mental preparation was crucial for her success at Teahupo'o, as the waves at Teahupo'o demanded physical skill and mental fortitude. Saffi worked with a psychologist to manage her thoughts and fears, ensuring she was ready to face the daunting wave confidently.

As Saffi prepares to take on the world's best surfers in Paris 2024, we wish her the best of luck, knowing that she will give it her all and make New Zealand and all of us proud.

Saffi's aspirations, however, extend beyond the Olympics. She is also working hard on the Challenger Series. "I want to qualify for the WSL World Tour. I'm currently on the Challenger Series, working hard at it for my first year. I would love to also help and inspire young Kiwis to give them a pathway to succeed in surfing," she shares.

Looking ahead, Saffi plans to continue inspiring and supporting others by remaining humble and true to herself. "I love to give people the time of day, so I will continue doing so. I want to just keep doing me and look out for the girls and guys from NZ coming up because I know they all have what it takes. It's just belief and the right support," she shares. As she continues to ride the waves of her career, she will undoubtedly inspire many more to follow in her footsteps.

Saffi Vette

Extracts from Dystinct Magazine