She was married to long-time partner Nineva Vaitupu, coached Taieri College to a win in the Otago secondary schoolgirls championship, was co-captain of the Pirates premier team that won the banner for the first time since 1990, and is the Otago captain for the first time.
Tuhega (28), a prop, first played for Otago Spirit in 2000 and has now played 30 games for the province.
"When I first played, I was up and down between Otago A and the B team," she said.
Her career was interrupted while she gave birth to her sons, Orlando (6) and Jeremiah (3).
It has been a difficult time being captain because Otago Spirit is rebuilding this year and has yet to win a game.
But the team has certainly had some adventures and was marooned in Christchurch for two days this week because of the polar blast.
"We were meant to fly back after the game on Sunday but our plane was grounded," Tuhega said. "We had to come home by bus on Tuesday."
The Spirit plays Manawatu in Palmerston North today as a curtain-raiser for the ITM Cup match between Manawatu and Waikato.
Tuhega first played for Pirates when she was a pupil at Bayfield High School in 1998, and the club championship win this year was special.
Pirates beat University 27-19 and she sealed the game for her team by scoring a late try when the students looked threatening.
"I have been on the wrong side in so many finals against University and Alhambra-Union," Tuhega said. "It was an amazing feeling to finally win.
"I was proud to score the last try. I was very emotional and so happy."
Her Taieri schoolgirl team beat St Hilda's to win the final.
"We celebrated by taking the team to McDonald's for a feed," she said.
Tuhega has also played junior netball and under-21 basketball for Otago.
Otago v Manawatu
- Palmerston Nth, Saturday, 5pm
• Spirit: Claire Richardson, Angela Taylor, Greer Muir, Lucy Anderson,Sheree Hume, Victoria Nafatali, Rebecca Todd, Nicola Crawford, Leyhana Van Vugt, Angie Sisifa, Mikayla Smith, Kylie Cathro, Beth Mallard, Cherie Jackson, Gemma Tuhega (captain).
• Reserves: Jamie Greene, Pip Love, Rachel Scott, Lisa Waddell, Claire Smith, Maxine McInnes, Hana Bryant.
