Taranaki Sports Awards 2021 - Sport Taranaki
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Taranaki Sports Awards 2021
Nau mai, haere mai.
Welcome to the Taranaki Sports Awards 2021.
Thank you to everyone from across the province who has
contributed to this celebration of Taranaki sport.
This event would not be possible without our generous
sponsors, our event judges and all those in the sporting
and active communities who took the time to put forward
nominees. We1986
Lauryn born hope
is anyou have a economist,
accomplished fantastic eveningand
entrepreneur joining
CEO of Marx Worldwide, a global courier delivery services company
together for this community celebration.
headquartered in New York.
PROGRAMME
6pm Welcome
Game Official of the Year McDonald Real Estate
Volunteer of the Year Clelands Construction
Coach of the Year WR Phillips Volkswagen
Masters Sportsperson of the Year Our Cloud
Club of the Year Pipetech
ENTREE
Service to Secondary School Sport TSSSA
Junior Sportsman of the Year TSSSA
Junior Sportswoman of the Year QP Sport-Protection
Junior Sports Team of the Year TimberCo
Service to Sport Sport Taranaki
DINNER
Guest Speaker: Conrad Smith Bartercard
DESSERT
Hall of Fame Presentation
Senior Sportsman of the Year BDL Toshiba
Senior Sportswoman of the Year The Floatation Sanctuary
Senior Sports Team of the Year New Plymouth Physiotherapy
Sportsperson of the Year 2021 Silks Audit
GAME OFFICIAL
OF THE YEAR
ASHLEIGH HURRING
SURF LIFE SAVING
Ashleigh Hurring is often first to the beach and last to
leave. Fresh from gaining her Surf Official Level 2
award Ashleigh officiated at the 2020 Senior Surf Life
Saving Nationals. As the lead event safety officer, she
was responsible for setting the course for three of the
four water arenas and ensuring athlete safety in
testing two metre swells. Ashleigh also officiated at
the Junior National Event, Oceans, in 2020 and 2021,
again leading officiating on the water. Ashleigh
mentors many young officials in the Central region
and she is an active lifeguard, competitor, patrol
auditor and surf lifeguard chief examiner. She is also
a member of the regional call out squad and the
local lifesaving committee.
DANIAL GALLO
FOOTBALL
Danial Gallo takes his refereeing skills on the road
to benefit football across the North Island. Named
Central Football’s Taranaki Referee of the Year in
2020, Danial leads the way for others in Taranaki,
regularly controlling Central Federation League
matches in Taranaki, Whanganui and Manawatū.
Daniel has advanced to be a Level 4 referee, a very
high level, especially given he is only 21. He is
always looking to improve, travelling to
workshops in Auckland and Wellington while
gaining officiating experience in larger leagues.
GAME OFFICIAL
OF THE YEAR
MIKE JACK
SQUASH
Mike Jack’s commitment to refereeing is a driving force
in New Zealand squash. He has been recognised as one
of 13 national referees since 2007 – maintaining his
status through tournament officiating and assessment.
He refereed the New Zealand Junior Open in 2019, and
again in 2020, this time acting as Tournament Referee.
He refereed the Men’s B Grade Superchamps finals in
Palmerston North in 2020 and was invited to attend the e
New Zealand Senior Nationals. Mike was awarded
Central Referee of the Year in 2020 and has been a
refereeing co-ordinator on the Central Squash
Committee. He served on the Squash Referees Panel
from 2015-2020, and holds an annual referees evening
at Kawaroa Park Squash Club. During 2020 he also ran
an online referee course for the Central Region.
VOLUNTEER OF
THE YEAR
AARON HOTTER
BMX
Aaron Hotter pours a huge amount of time and expertise
into New Plymouth BMX Club's 'shark tank'. After taking
over as track manager Alan remodelled the track to
make it more technical – allowing club members to
develop their skills to compete and dominate on the
national stage. Aaron has built a strong team around him
and his vision and persistence for the track was a big
factor in the club being awarded the hosting rights for
the North Island Titles in December 2021. Aaron leads a
dedicated group of club volunteers and has remained a
‘top 8’ rider for his class over the last three years.
AARUN LANGTON
BASKETBALL AND GOLF
Aarun Langton is a tireless, generous and humble
advocate for Taranaki sport. With a grounding in
basketball and golf, Aarun makes major contributions in
both sports. He is the chair of the Taranaki Women’s
Basketball Club and of Basketball Taranaki
Incorporated. He was a founding member of the
Taranaki Basketball Regional Sporting Organisation
board and an active member of the Opunake Basketball
Association, contributing to running the league with
refereeing and putting on coaching clinics. He coaches
the Opunake High School Boys A Team, runs coaching
sessions at Rahotu Primary School and coached a team
at St Joseph’s Opunake. Aarun is also Opunake Golf
Club president and serves on the Taranaki Mens’
Executive that runs representative, interclub and
provincial tournament programmes. He is also the
selection panel convener for representative teams.
VOLUNTEER OF
THE YEAR
BRENT GRIBBON
SQUASH
Whether solving technical problems, organising
draws and ladder competitions or fixing issues
with the lights or the till, Brent Gribbon is the
man people always turn to at Kawaroa Park
Squash Club. Brent has volunteered at the club
for many years and his behind-the-scenes
contributions include organising the monthly
social ladder league and the twice-yearly
business house competition. As the systems
manager on the club committee Brent is the
man people approach with a myriad of technical
issues. His patience, energy, commitment, and
willingness to help makes the club a better and
more efficient place for everyone.
DION CLEMENT
RUGBY
Giving back to the community and his team
drives Dion Clement’s dedicated support of the
Southern Rugby Club premier team. Since
2017 Dion has been a fixture as team
hydrationist, attending all trainings and games
and becoming an important part of the team
set up. Dion’s playing career was cut short by a
traumatic brain injury but his determination to
stick with sport and his recovery saw him take
his valued place on the team, recently earning
a blazer for his 50 games as team hydrationist.
Widely respected, Dion is set to be an
important part of the Southern set up for
many years to come.
VOLUNTEER OF
THE YEAR
GRANT SCOTT
FOOTBALL
Grant Scott’s commitment and sacrifice has paved
the way for success at FC Western. Grant has been
a member of the club since its early days, most
recently serving as president for five years. By
bringing in Mick Curry as junior co-ordinator Grant
helped build a strong junior programme and his
effective management of the club committee
ensures all important work is carried out. He is a
driving force behind the club’s social functions and
for the celebration of the club’s 20th anniversary.
Grant spent months collecting the history,
contacting past members, selling tickets, and
organising the majority of the event.
GUS BERGHAN
ROWING
In 2018 Clifton Rowing Club was in a precarious position. But largely thanks
to the leadership and efforts of Gus Berghan the club is growing and
achieving national success. Gus created and oversaw the establishment of a
head coach role, hiring ex-Olympian Phillipa Baker-Hogan. Community
outreach and coaching have helped the club improve results year-on-year,
from five National Club ‘A’ finals in 2018/19 to 12 for 2020/21. Club member
Sophia Hodson won gold at the national secondary schools Maadi Cup in
the U17 Girls Single Scull. Behind the scenes Gus managed the committee
which oversaw updates to the club’s policies and procedures and
constitution while also adding a code of conduct and child protection
policy. Gus also played an important part in numerous successful
fundraising applications and he is now seeking input on plans to expand
the clubrooms to accommodate new members and club equipment.
VOLUNTEER OF
THE YEAR
HEATHER GRANT
STRENGTH AND BALANCE CLASS
LEADER
Heather Grant helps keep people moving and
active every week. Heather volunteers for Age
Concern Taranaki, leading their weekly SAYGo
(Steady As You Go) classes. She takes one class
where she lives in Inglewood, and up to three
others in New Plymouth. This is a significant
commitment as each class takes an hour to run
and involves more time to set up and pack down.
Heather is a good listener and proactive person
who comes up with new ideas to keep the
sessions fun. Her kindness and motivational skills
are clear to see during each class. She also serves
on the board of Age Concern Taranaki.
HELEN CAMERON
ATHLETICS
Helen Cameron is always moving to support
Taranaki Athletics. An enthusiastic member of
Kaponga Athletic Club since the mid-1990s, Helen
continues contributing. Since 2019 she has officiated
at Nexans events for the Stratford Runners and
Walkers Club and co-ordinated several Taranaki
Masters Games events. She is a committee member
of Kaponga Athletics Club and the Stratford Runners
and Walkers Club. She serves as an official at both
club’s events and also officiated at the Colgate
Games in Inglewood in 2020 and 2021. She also
officiated at the 2021 Masters Games.
VOLUNTEER OF
THE YEAR
JOSH SMITH
MIXED MARTIAL ARTS
Volunteering at the New Plymouth Mixed Martial Arts
studio means many things to Josh Smith. He committed
to running beginners MMA classes twice a week and
also uses his building skills to help with gym
renovations, maintenance and minor repairs. He is
highly qualified and skilled so he is often the first to
volunteer to cover for other coaches. He takes a lead role
in the gym, matching fights for students, encouraging
others to compete and coming in on weekends to
provide extra trainings. He often will travel with
competitors to help them and assists with children’s
programmes as well. While still very much an active
competitor he brings an open, kind, patient, welcoming
and inclusive attitude towards everyone he interacts
with.
SCOTT SIFFLEET
RUGBY
Building the Cast Iron Chicken’s legacy comes naturally
to Scott Siffleet. Scott is a long time Tukapa Rugby and
Sports Club member. He was a player, then then the
manager of the premier team and a committee
member, before becoming club chairman in 2019. As
chairman he oversaw many capital works, including
player facility renovations, clubhouse improvements, a
match day video facility and a club ‘corporate box’. He
has bullt the club’s digital presence, with a website
upgrade and use of social media. Scott is often sideline
from early Saturday morning through all the afternoon
grades, taking photographs, uploading results and
updates, marketing players and sponsors. Scott also runs
much of the club's operations during the week. In 2020
he joined the Taranaki's appointments committee and in
2021 he started a programme promoting rugby through
school coaching sessions.VOLUNTEER OF
THE YEAR
SHERI HUGHES
TENNIS
Kids are flocking to tennis in Hāwera thanks in large
part to the work of Sheri Hughes. The tireless
volunteer has helped grow the club’s junior
numbers by over 60 in just 18 months through her
energy and innovation. Leading club promotions for
the Love Tennis day at the club in 2020, Sheri ran
promotions in the town square while also working
with schools to promote the game. Co-ordinating
with South Taranaki District Council she organised
tennis workshops every school holidays. She
secured sponsorship from local businesses and a
grant to cover free Cardio tennis coaching sessions
during Terms 1 and 4. She instructs and runs
community play sessions for 3-5 year olds and helps
the club coach during junior sessions. She
organised and ran the club championships and
junior club nights. Sheri also found time to search
the archives, locating and updating all the junior
and senior club champ trophies and scanning and
filing club minutes dating back to 1929. She was a
major driver behind the club being nominated as a
Tennis Central Club of the Year in 2021.COACH OF
THE YEAR
BRETT HANCOCK
BMX
Consistent training sessions that are fun for all ages
help Brett (Albie) Hancock coach at the New
Plymouth BMX Club. As a nationally ranked rider,
Brett has plenty of skills and tactical knowledge to
pass on. He does this in easy to understand ways to a
growing group of young club ‘Sprockets’. A surge in
young riders joining the club is evidence of his
success, together with strong results when young
riders travel to compete out of the region. Albie
volunteers around the club on top of his coaching
commitments and was named at the BMXNZ
Volunteer of the Year in 2021, worthy recognition for
a ‘truly dedicated club man’.
GHISLAINE BRIEN
TENNIS
Ghislaine Brien is always adding new dimensions to
her coaching. Ghislaine is selector/manager for
Taranaki Tennis senior representative teams and the
junior representative coach. She is also head coach
at Okaiawa and Rotokare Tennis Clubs and has many
other coaching commitments that bring her into
contact with players across Taranaki. Ghislaine has
helped boost participation and competition at the
clubs that she is involved with. She has ITF2 coaching
qualifications recognised by the International Tennis
Federation and certified by Tennis New Zealand and
has been selected and trained by Tennis New
Zealand as a Coach Developer. Recently named as
Tennis Central’s Coach of the Year, Ghislaine was also
invited to be part of Sport New Zealand’s Coaching
for Impact programme.COACH OF
THE YEAR
JAKE RAPIRA
BOXING
Jake Rapira’s coaching has impressive reach. As the
head coach of New Plymouth’s Box Office Boxing his
coaching helps hundreds across the community. He
runs a youth squad, helps people grappling with
Parkinson's, and runs Boxfit classes. Equally
comfortable introducing students to boxing or
working with seasoned fighters, Jake's easy going,
friendly approach makes him a great mentor for many
youth he works with. From October 2019 to March
2021 Jake coached two national champions while his
charges also picked up two North Island Golden
Gloves championships. He also works hard to develop
the club’s youth academy. Jake is also the secretary of
the Taranaki Boxing Association.
KAREN GILLUM-GREEN
ATHLETICS
A stalwart of athletics Karen Gillum-Green gives
her time, passion and skills to all athletes. She is
just as committed to those in the first stages of
their journey as to those high-level athletes under
her watch. She juggles her coaching commitments
with her governance responsibilities as vice-
president of Athletics New Zealand. She will
become president of the national body later this
year, after serving 24 years as president of Taranaki
Athletics. Karen also organises and actively works
with athletics officials throughout Taranaki and
further afield. She recently won the Taranaki
Athletics Coach of the Year award building on a
long and growing list of coaching success stories.COACH OF
THE YEAR
KAYE CARTER
SQUASH
Kawaroa Park Squash Club coach Kaye Carter works
hard to foster the sport on many levels. She has taken
on a coach developer role in the Taranaki/Central
region, run special women’s only coaching groups and
the popular K.P Junior programme, which this year has
attracted 70 participants and continues to grow. Kaye
was part of a group who coached an F Grade women’s
team to a district win and a runner-up placing in the
nationals. During a successful round of school
coaching in 2020 Kaye introduced about 60 students,
aged 7-16 to squash. Kaye is always ready to pitch in
and help any of the club’s members and goes well
beyond the call of duty.
SUE SOUTHGATE
SWIMMING
The honours boards at Bell Block are filling up fast under
the watch of Sue Southgate. These honours boards record
all the national champions Sue has coached and since
2000, 166 national titles have been recorded. Her
consistent record helping produce national champions
has continued in recent times. In December 2020, Sue
coached Zac Reid to an Olympic qualifying time in the
800m freestyle. This time was also a New Zealand Open
record which ranked him among the world’s top 16
leading into the Tokyo Olympics. Sue currently has six
swimmers who are national champions in eight events
and three of those swimmers are on Swimming New
Zealand's Development Squad.COACH OF
THE YEAR
VANESSA WAY
DRESSAGE
Vanessa Way is a top New Zealand dressage
rider and a sought after coach and mentor to
riders of all levels and ages. She has a passion for
teaching amateur riders how to get the best out
of their horses, and is also a dedicated coach for
those targeting international competition.
Vanessa has a simple but successful teaching
method, focussing on the welfare of the horse
and the correct scale of training. Her students
experience real progress both in training and
competition. She teaches from her home in
Oakura, travels the length of the country
teaching at weekly clinics, and also recently
started teaching online. Vanessa has developed,
in conjunction with Dressage Horse Training, a
set of online videos for riders to learn how to
perform different movements and how to
successfully train their horse up the levels. The
first set was successfully released in 2020, and
the next set has just been filmed and will be
released later this year. Vanessa is a great
ambassador for Taranaki. She encourages her
pupils to travel here to train and compete.MASTERS
SPORTSPERSON OF
THE YEAR
ALAN JONES
ATHLETICS
Alan Jones has done well on the track, road
and trail over the past 18 months, picking up
plenty of podium finishes and records along
the way. Highlights on the national scene
included a first placing at the New Zealand
Masters Track Championships in 2021 in the
3000m, a win at the New Zealand Masters
10km Road Champs and at the New Zealand
Cross Country Challenge. Amongst his many
regional triumphs over the same period he set
new age group Taranaki records over the 100m,
800m, 1500m and 3000m distance.
JOY BAKER
ATHLETICS, MULTI-SPORT
Whether in triathlons, duathlons, Ironman events
or athletics, Joy Baker loves going the distance.
During a typically action-packed period over the
last 18 months Joy picked up a swag of medals at
both the New Zealand Masters Games and the
New Zealand Masters Track and Field events
while also finding time to win the Ironman 70.3
event in Taupō in December 2019, qualifying for
the New Zealand team in the process. On a
regional level she recorded impressive
performances in diverse disciplines spanning
from the 100 metres to the shot put, steeplechase
to triple jump, and competed in club duathlons,
triathlons and cross country events.MASTERS
SPORTSPERSON OF
THE YEAR
RAEWYN GRIGG
ATHLETICS
After being named the Taranaki Athletics Masters
Sportswoman of the Year 2020 Raewyn Grigg
carried on racking up strong results in 2021.
Raewyn’s results at the New Zealand Masters
Athletics Championships show her versatility.
She was first in the long jump, second in the high
jump and throws pentathlon, third in the weight
throw, fourth in hammer, discus and shot put
and fifth in javelin. At the Taranaki Masters
Games she also won the shot put and weight
throw in her age group. In between competitions
Raewyn is an active official and recently
officiated in several key events on the regional
and national scene.CLUB OF
THE YEAR
BOX OFFICE BOXING
Box Office Boxing is much more than place to learn ringcraft. Their boxers
succeed on a national stage but the club also acts as a family, school, a safe
space, and a place for everyone regardless of age, ability or culture. With about
480 active members, the club provides a number of community focussed
initiatives together with their boxing development and fitness programmes. A
Youth Academy at the club includes 50 children aged 8-14, who learn the art of
boxing along with critical social skills, goal setting, and self-management. This
academy is supported by club members, staff and donors. Their Counterpunch
class caters to those managing ill-effects of Parkinson’s disease and a range of
other serious health issues. The classes help with strength and mobility and
provide an important support network. A women’s only class is provided for
those wanting to get fit and gain confidence in a safe, non-judgemental
environment. The club also runs a popular and successful Boxing for Schools
programme for between 500-800 students across the New Plymouth district.CLUB OF
THE YEAR
CLIFTON ROWING CLUB
Strong currents were against Clifton Rowing Club a few years ago, with falling
club membership, no local, full-time coach and an uncertain future. But now
with a number of new developments, the club’s future is looking strong. With
club fundraising, the recruitment of head coach Philippa Baker-Hogan and a
series of Have a Go days with local schools, membership has grown
significantly. The revitalised training programme and stronger membership has
led to success on the water, with club rowers reaching 12 national A Grade finals
in 2020/21. Club rower Sophia Hodson capped off the season winning gold at
the National Secondary Schools Maddi Cup event in the girls U17 Singles Sculls.
Alongside the sporting achievements, the committee has been very active,
updating the constitution, health and safety policies, and created a code of
conduct and child protection policy. The club also launched a new website
during this period.CLUB OF
THE YEAR
HAWERA LAWN TENNIS &
SQUASH RACKETS CLUB
KAWAROA PARK
SQUASH CLUB
A disrupted year did not stop progress at the Hawera Lawn Tennis & Squash
Rackets Club. Driven by a variety of programmes club membership grew by 66. A
series of popular school holiday workshops, regular community play sessions for
3-5 year olds, and a successful Love Tennis promotion all helped attract new
people to tennis. A series of school demonstrations were also popular, while a
business house competition featured 26 teams in a casual, friendly environment.
The club also supported and hosted the South Taranaki Grand Prix, the Taranaki
Open and TSSSA Tennis tournaments for juniors, secondary and senior tennis
players. The club also entered two junior teams, a B grade team, a midweek
ladies team and an A4 team.CLUB OF
THE YEAR
KAWAROA PARK SQUASH CLUB
More women and juniors are helping keep Kawaroa Park Squash Club growing.
The 104 female players on their books is an 18 per cent annual increase, which
has also seen the competitive base of players growing. The club works hard to
cater for players of all ages, with an active junior programme and twice yearly
women only coaching clinics. High schools and primary schools have been on
court during the year, either using the courts for play or to provide an
introduction to the sport. Social squash remains strong while the seaside
facilities are ideal for Progress to Health, who use them for their weekly music
therapy sessions designed to help rehabilitate and empower those recovering
from strokes or other brain injuries. A new club booking and administration
system has provided a more effective platform for competitive and current
members as well as openiing the door to many more casual members.
Competitive players put in strong showings at regional and national
competitions and to cap off a successful season the club hosted a successful
Junior Prince Tournament as well as instigating and hosting the inaugural
Taranaki Junior Open Tournament.CLUB OF
THE YEAR
NEW PLYMOUTH
RANGERS FOOTBALL CLUB
From high-level success, to tamariki enjoying a Tuesday night kick around,
New Plymouth Rangers Football Club is keeping people happy on and off
the pitch. The club is proud to offer a fun summer football programme with
over 500 young people playing every Tuesday evening during Term 4 and
Term 1. Those looking to take football further have a range of Foundation and
Academy teams to aim for. A disability programme runs successfully with
the help of volunteers and there are plenty of options for competition across
the club. With their top senior team winning at Central Federation League
level the club had six senior teams, and 30 junior teams with over 400
members during the 2020 season. Another sign of their strong club spirit
was the 24-hour football festival they held in January 2020, raising over
$15,000 to support a 17-year-old footballer with their cancer battle.CLUB OF
THE YEAR
WAITARA KAYAK CLUB
Participation defined Waitara Kayak Club over the past 18 months. New club
coach Brendon Metcalfe has programmes to suit everyone, from juniors
learning how to paddle, to those looking to push themselves to compete
nationally or wanting to enjoy kayaking for fitness or cross-training.
Connections with other successful clubs around the country and linking with
Canoe Racing NZ brought new ideas to the club and helped attract a new
group of young people onto the water. Eight club paddlers were selected to
be part of a programme which develops juniors to succeed on the world
stage. Seven athletes were selected for the New Zealand team for the Asia
Pacific regatta, the largest group from any one club. Brendan was named
Canoe Racing New Zealand's Coach of the Year earlier this year.SERVICE TO SECONDARY
SCHOOL SPORT
MAX CARROLL
Max Carroll spent many years involved in New Plymouth
Boys’ High School sport and is still devoting much time
chronicling its history. Max coached the school’s First XI
cricket team from 1960-1976 and took charge of the 1st XV
rugby team from 1965-1979. During his time in charge the
school built a formidable record, playing 85 interschool
matches for 58 wins, 21 losses and 6 draws. With a track
record as a provincial representative in both sports, the
rugby sides during this time were noteworthy for the power
and precision of their forward pack and their mobile loose
forwards. All Black captain Graham Mourie was one notable
player who came through sides coached by Max Carroll.
During his time at NPBHS Max was also a Taranaki and New
Zealand Secondary School rugby selector and in retirement
he turned his energies to keeping the history of school alive,
writing separate histories on cricket, rugby and boarding at
the school. He is an important conduit between the Old
Boys and the school, frequently organising team reunions
and running the school’s 125th Jubilee in 2007.
LINK ABRAMS
Link Abrams has been a beacon of support for basketball at Spotswood College
from the moment he started at the school in 2007. A former New Zealand
National Basketball League MVP, Link is a selfless, humble man who gives his
time to coaching and developing basketball for all students. He has also opened
doors for a community basketball programme every Wednesday at 3.30pm.
These voluntary efforts are not limited to the working week. Pop in on a
weekend, and you will see the lights on at the gym, the doors open and Link
running a session with students of all ages, the same infectious smile on his face
that he has from Monday to Friday. He will be surrounded by the sound of
laughter, engagement and joy from the young people with him. He does not do
any of this for the recognition or praise. Link would say he is just trying to repay
the people that paved the way for him, and in his actions pave a path for a
generation of rangatahi to have the same opportunities he did. It is easy to see
why Link is viewed by many as a taonga of Te Kura Turarua o Ngāmotu.JUNIOR SPORTSMAN
OF THE YEAR
CARLIN DAVIDSON
BASKETBALL
Carlin Davison enjoys playing above the rim and his basketball
career is flying high as part of the Taranaki Mountain Airs.
Carlin, a Guard, was 17 when he made the Mountain Airs squad
in 2020, making him the youngest player in the NBL that
season.The former New Plymouth Boys’ High School student
was also named in the New Zealand U17 team and the
Taranaki U17 and U19 squads and was part of the Steven
Adams Invitational. He was named in the New Zealand team
to attend the 2019 FIBA U16 Asian Championship in Beirut,
Lebanon but this tournament was cancelled.
DANIEL CALLEBAUT
SWIMMING, SURF LIFE SAVING AND ATHLETICS
Daniel Callebaut is a strong competitor in the pool, open
water or surf. His recent surf life saving results include
being the anchor swimmer for two gold medal winning
relays at the New Zealand Surf Life Saving Pool Champs in
2019, and a bronze in the 2019 Mount Monster national
endurance event. At 2020 Oceans, another national
competition, he picked up a gold medal in the run, swim,
run event and in the pinnacle Ironman event. He also
picked up a bronze medal in the board race. His recent
swimming achievements include a bronze in the 2019
New Zealand Swimming Short Course National
Championships. In the 2020 event he won gold in the
200m individual medley and silver medals in the 1500m
free, 800m free, 400m individual medley and 200m
breaststroke. In open water swimming he won bronze in
the 2020 National Open 2.5km event and was first in his
age group over the 5km distance. In March 2021 at the
New Zealand Secondary Schools Championships he was
the overall winner of the open water duathlon and a gold
medallist in the 3.3km open water swim. He also won his
age group in the Flannagan Cup ocean swim and was a
strong competitor in athletics competitions.JUNIOR SPORTSMAN
OF THE YEAR
DIEGO QUISPE-KIM
TENNIS
Diego Quispe-Kim made a big impact on Taranaki
tennis after moving to New Plymouth from Canterbury
in August 2020. Among a string of wins on the national
stage he collected the 2020 16 and Under Indoors
Championship title and was runner up in the 16 and
Under Championships. He also won the Taranaki Open
and New Zealand Lawn Tennis Championships
tournament in Hawera during 2020 and played a big
part in New Plymouth Boys’ High School’s third placing
in the national secondary school competition.
ETHAN MATUKU
KAYAKING
Ethan Matuku achieved plenty of success on the
national kayaking scene. At the Kayak Sprint
Nationals in 2020 He picked up a third placing in
the U18 K1 200m, and was second in both the U18
K4 500m and 200m. He also raced in two Blue
Lakes events, picking up three golds, a silver and a
bronze. He was selected to represent Canoe
Racing New Zealand at the Asia Pacific Sprint
Regatta that was to be held in May 2020 before it
was cancelled because of Covid-19.
JACK PARR
SAILING
Jack Parr loves sailing for the competition as well as
the chance to spend time on the ocean. The New
Plymouth Yacht Club sailor is the 2021 Taranaki
Secondary Schools champion and also won the 2019
Intermediate Schools title. He was the Taranaki
representative in the 2019 and 2020 P Class Tanner
Cup and also the Taranaki representative for the
Starling Match Racing Nationals in 2020 and 2021.JUNIOR SPORTSMAN
OF THE YEAR
JOE COLLINS
SURF LIFE SAVING
Joe Collins is making waves across the Tasman in
the ultra-competitive Nutri-Grain IronMan series,
chalking up a series of firsts for a New Zealand surf
life saver along the way. The 18-year-old, who came
through the ranks at Fitzroy Surf Life Saving Club,
placed third in the 2021 series, the best finish ever
for both a rookie and a New Zealander. In April he
won the U19 male ironman final at the Aussies 21 –
the Australian National Champs. This makes him
the first New Zealander to win an Australian
national ironman title. The ex-New Plymouth Boys’
High School student juggles his training schedule
while studying towards a commerce and finance
degree at Bond University.
JOSH GOBLE
SURF LIFE SAVING
Competition is about much more than winning for surf life
saving speedster Josh Goble. Josh is one of the few beach
sprint and flag athletes to compete at a high level in water
events as well as he wants to ensure he is able to perform
rescues on a board or while swimming. As well as competing
and training, Josh completed over 50 hours of volunteer
guarding over the last two seasons and has begun coaching
a junior club group. Josh has been selected for the National
Youth High Performance Squad after a string of strong
results including a second in the U16 beach flags and third at
the board rescue at the New Zealand Surf Nationals. In the
U17s at the 2021 Eastern Regionals he won the beach flags,
was third in the taplin relay and fourth in the beach sprint. In
the Central Regionals he won both the open division beach
flags and sprints. He also won the board race, diamond race,
beach sprints and beach flags at the Taranaki
Championships in 2020.JUNIOR SPORTSMAN
OF THE YEAR
KADEN BROOK
KAYAKING AND SURF LIFE SAVING
Kaden Brook picked up great results in his kayak and in surf life saving. At the
2020 Kayak Sprint Nationals, racing the U18 grade, he placed 2nd in the K1 1000m
A final, 2nd K4 500m, 2nd K4 200m and 1st in the K1 200m B final. Kaden also
raced in four Blue Lakes events, picking up seven gold, six silver and five bronze
medals. He was selected to represent Canoe Racing New Zealand at the Asia
Pacific Sprint Regatta that was to be held in May 2020 before this event was
cancelled by Covid-19. At the Taranaki senior surf life saving championships he also
picked up a swag of placings, including nine first placings, two second placings,
and five third placings.
KANE DE VRIES
ATHLETICS
A change in focus was successful for Kane de Vries. Recently, he
decided to tackle the triple jump, an event he had never tried, and he
started getting results on a national stage. Among his recent triple
jump results are a third at the New Zealand Secondary School
Nationals in 2020 and second in the 2021 New Zealand Track and
Field Championships. Over the same period he performed strongly
in the 200m events as well, placing 11th in the Secondary School
Nationals and ninth in the New Zealand Track and Field
Championships. He was also part of a mixed 4 x 400m relay team
which placed third at the New Zealand Secondary School Nationals
in 2019. Kane won the senior champs for both the triple jump and
the 200m in the Taranaki Championships in 2021 and was the TET
Taranaki Athletics Junior Sportsman of the Year in 2021. He is a
familiar face at athletic club nights, helping guide younger athletes
and is committed to helping with sports training and activities for
primary school children during lunch breaks.JUNIOR SPORTSMAN
OF THE YEAR
LACHLAN MOLES
KAYAKING AND ADVENTURE RACING
Lachlan Moles chalked up a number of achievements
during the Kayak Sprint Nationals in 2020, taking out
third place in the U18 K1 1000m and finishing second in
the K4 500m and K4 200m races. He also raced in four
Blue Lakes events taking home four golds, a silver and
two bronze medals. He was selected to represent
Canoe Racing New Zealand at the Asia Pacific Sprint
Regatta that was to be held in May 2020, before this
event was cancelled by Covid-19. Lachlan was also part
of the combined New Plymouth Boys’ High School and
New Plymouth Girls’ High School adventure racing
team which took out second place in the national
Hillary Challenge event in 2020.
LEVI TITO-JORDAN
MARTIAL ARTS
Levi Tito-Jordan’s love of martial arts has taken the 16-
year-old around New Zealand and across the world.
Covid-19 put a stop to normal international competition,
so in 2020 Levi competed online, taking part in the Jeff
Speakman’s 5.0 Fighter Virtual Championship Martial Arts
Event. He earned first place for his age and belt level. Levi
also won all categories he entered in the 2020 Fabian
Niwa Memorial Kenpo 5.0 Martial Arts Tournament in
Taranaki. These successes were the latest in a long string
of titles and achievements Levi has earned since he took
his first martial arts class as a four-year-old.JUNIOR SPORTSMAN
OF THE YEAR
LUKE HASSAN
ATHLETICS
A positive, determined attitude has seen Luke Hassan continue to get
results and improve. Most recently Luke place sixth in the senior javelin
throw at the New Zealand Champs and third in the U20 Javelin throw at
national level. He also won both the senior and U20 javelin throw events at
the Taranaki Championships.
WILLIAM VAN KERSSEN
FOOTBALL
William Van Kerssen is a quality footballer. In his
second year of senior football for Hawera FC,
Willam was also an important part of the Hawera
High School First XI, which again won the
secondary school division 1 grade. He is a natural
on-field leader and is always looking to improve
his game and guide others. He is a valued
member of the Hawera FC senior mens football
team. After working as a game day leader at
Hawera’s hub football session, this season William
started coaching a ninth grade team, fitting this
team’s coaching and game day commitments
around his own busy playing schedule.JUNIOR SPORTSWOMAN
OF THE YEAR
ABBIE HOLMES
SQUASH
Abbie Holmes sets high standards on the squash courts and
is a great example for young players. In October 2019 Abbie
finished ninth in the New Zealand Junior Nationals while
also winning the New Zealand Junior Team title as a
member of the the Central Districts Junior Girls' team. Her
consistently strong performances earned selection in the
New Zealand Emerging Players Squad and the New
Zealand Secondary Schools Girls' Squash team for the
second year in a row. On a regional level Abbie made a big
impact, winning a swag of club, age group and open titles.
But her contribution goes well beyond on court
performance. Abbie often helps out at both her Hawera and
Kawaroa Park clubs, either on tournament control, running
the board or in the kitchen. She was the women’s club
captain at Hawera until the end of 2020 and also helps out
with the junior coaching programme at Kawaroa.
AROHAINA DEAN
BOXING
Arohaina Dean has a bright future in boxing.
Since strapping on the gloves as a seven-year-
old in the Box Office Boxing outreach program
she made great progress, making the Box
Office Boxing Team in 2019. Since then she has
collected a number of victories, capped by her
first major title at the 2020 North Island
Golden Gloves in the Cadet Female 52kg
division. She ended the season on a high by
also winning the Cadet Female 52kg title at
the National Championships in Porirua. She is
set to defend her titles in the Junior division
this year.JUNIOR SPORTSWOMAN
OF THE YEAR
BELLA WANSBOROUGH
SWIMMING AND SURF LIFE SAVING
Bella Wansborough is a record breaker. Bella, who enjoys surf
life saving as well as swimming, currently holds nine long
course and five short course Taranaki records across two
separate age groups. She has been selected in the New
Zealand squad after a string of wins and places in the 2019 and
2020 short course national championships She has also won
the Duncan Laing Memorial Trophy event, swum as part of the
Flannagan Cup, for three years in a row. Among her recent
notable surf life saving performances was a third placing in the
ocean swim at the 2020 nationals and a first placing in the
board relay at the same event.
CAITLIN MARSHALL
CRICKET
Picking up plenty of wickets has seen Caitlin Marshall
secure higher honours in her cricket career. Caitlin
bagged the most wickets for a spin bowler at a recent
Central Districts regional tournament. In 2020-21 she was
a member of the New Plymouth Girls’ High School First XI.
She was also awarded the top bowler award for the
Taranaki Girls' Year 9-10 team. While playing for Central
Districts at a National Girls U15 tournament Caitlin
snagged a five wicket bag from a six over spell and
conceded just six runs. Caitlin was then named in the
tournament team, with tournament figures ranking her as
the fourth best bowler overall. Caitlin’s age group success
caught the eye of the senior selectors and she played
three games for the Taranaki senior womens' team during
the 2020-21 season.JUNIOR SPORTSWOMAN
OF THE YEAR
EVA DICKSON
VOLLEYBALL
An all-round player with a commitment to giving back to
her sport, Eva Dickson is forging a reputation on
volleyball’s national stage. Eva’s talent was recognised
with selection to both the national U17 indoor volleyball
team and then the U19 national teams for both beach
and indoor volleyball. Eva has played a part in a string of
team successes at a regional level and has captained the
New Plymouth Girls’ High School volleyball team for three
years, together with taking the captaincy of the Taranaki
U17 and U19 sides. She gives back by coaching junior
teams, officiating at junior tournaments and helping run
a social volleyball league at NBGHS. She even helped
build the school's beach volleyball pit.
EVE BARRY
FOOTBALL
Eve Barry stepped into the Moturoa AFC Federation League
team in 2020. She played all 12 matches and excelled as an
integral member of the side. Playing with passion and
energy Eve is held in high regard by peers, teammates,
coaches and managers. Her dedication and talent was
recognised with selection in the Central Football team
playing in the national women’s competition. She was also
selected in the New Zealand Futsal Ferns and included in
the New Zealand U17 ID camp.JUNIOR SPORTSWOMAN
OF THE YEAR
JAETAAMI FRASER
WAKA AMA
Jaetaami Fraser’s passion for waka ama is easy to
see. Competing and training in both Taranaki and
Auckland, Jaetaami has picked up a string of
placings in regional and national competitions.
Most recently in January 2021 she won two golds
and a bronze to add to an already impressive
medal haul from the sport. As well as her
individual success, across sprint and long-distance
events, Jaetaami is committed to helping out
younger competitors at the Taranaki Waka Ama
Club and has been active coaching both
Intermediates and Midgets at her Auckland club
Te Paerangi Waka Ama.
JORJA SYMES
TENNIS,HOCKEY AND TOUCH
Jorja Symes loves a competitive challenge, no
matter what the sport. The Opunake High
School student is always willing to 'give it a go'
and has proven to be a talented all round
provincial performer. She has excelled in hockey,
making the Taranaki U15 and U18 sides,
represented Taranaki in both senior and junior
representative tennis and also made the
Taranaki U16 touch team.JUNIOR SPORTSWOMAN
OF THE YEAR
JULIA PADRUTT
KAYAKING AND SURF LIFE SAVING
Balancing surf life saving and kayaking commitments
takes plenty of willpower and Julia Padrutt has shown
she has what it takes. Among a string of her notable
results in the kayak were a first placing in the U18 K1
500m at nationals in 2020 together with second place in
both the K1 200m and the K2 500m. Julia backed this
performance up in 2021 by picking up two firsts and three
seconds at the same national meeting. She is also
successful in the surf. At the 2020 surf life saving nationals
she picked up first place in the U19 single ski and the U19
ski relay with second placings in the double ski and taplin
relay and third in the board rescue. Julia gave over 30
volunteer lifeguard hours and is a regular participant at
junior trainings, passing her knowledge to young East End
Surf Club members.
LARA HOCKLY
ATHLETICS
Lara Hockly has dominated the long and triple jump
events in New Zealand for the past year. She has won
every championship since the 2020 Athletics New
Zealand Triple Jump in Christchurch. Her wins at the
New Zealand Secondary Schools Championships in
December were an example of her dominance. In
both the long and triple jump in the Senior Girls
division her first jump was good enough to win the
events. She then went on to jump even further in both
events. She also then won both events at this year's
Athletics New Zealand Championships, Taranaki
Championships and North Island Secondary Schools
Championships. Lara is an active member of the
Hawera Athletics Club, teaching and coaching young
athletes. She plays netball for the Hawera Senior A
team and also enjoys volleyball.JUNIOR SPORTSWOMAN
OF THE YEAR
LUCY NORTH
SURF LIFE SAVING
Lucy North has been a leader for East End Surf
Life Saving Club over the past two years, leading
trainings and mentoring younger athletes. Her
leadership is much valued at the club and
complements her impressive competitive
achievements. After a string of results across
different events she was named top overall U19
female at the Taranaki Championships in 2020
and 2021 and won the same award at nationals
in 2021. She was named in the Junior Black Fins
team in 2020. In amongst this she contributed
about 45 hours as a volunteer lifeguard in
addition to her event lifeguard duties.
MIYA ISHIHARA
TOUCH, ATHLETICS, SEVENS AND NETBALL
Balance is definitely better for Miya Ishihara.
With national and regional achievements
across of range of sports, Miya enjoys mixing
things up. She was selected as captain of the
New Zealand U16 touch team last season and
has been invited to trial for the U18 national
side. She also picked up a second place in the
triple jump at the national secondary schools
track and field champs. Her talent was noted at
the National Condor Sevens rugby tournament
and she also represented Taranaki at U18 and
U16 level in touch and at U16 level in netball,
mixed netball and athletics.JUNIOR SPORTSWOMAN
OF THE YEAR
NATASHA GOULDSBURY
SURFING
Natasha Gouldsbury surfed for New Zealand at the
ISA World Juniors in Huntington, California in the
U16 division in October 2019. Since then she has
picked up a long string of age-group wins and
results at U16 and U18 level on the national surfing
circuit. She also scored a fifth placing in the Open
Women’s Division of the Rip Curl Pro National Open
Series in Raglan in March 2021. Natasha helped with
the Farming for Surfers programme over the
summer and regularly takes part in club and beach
clean up days. She also helps out by judging local
surf events.
SCARLET OLD
KAYAKING
Scarlet Old picked up a number of good
results on the kayak in 2020 at sprint
nationals, including a second in the U18 K2
200m and a third in the U18 K1 200m. She
also picked up third place natinally in the
U18 10km national event. She was selected
for the national U18 K4 team at the junior
world champs as well as at an Asia Pacific
sprint regatta in Japan during 2020, but
both events were cancelled due to Covid-
19. Scarlet raced in four Blue Lakes events,
picking up eight gold, eight silver and
three bronze medals. She is also an
accomplished surf life saving competitor.JUNIOR SPORTSWOMAN
OF THE YEAR
SOPHIA HODSON
ROWING
It was a historic triumph when Sophia
Hodson won the Girls’ U17 Single Sculls title
at the 2021 Maadi Cup. She is the first
female winner of a Maadi Cup title from
Taranaki. The last time Taranaki rowers won
a Maadi Cup title was in 1962. The Sacred
Heart Girls' College student, who rows with
Clifton Rowing Club at Waitara, is in just her
second season and has proven to be a
focussed and determined competitor,
coached by former New Zealand Olympian
Philippa Baker-Hogan. Sophia had a string
of impressive performances in the single
scull leading up to her Maadi Cup victory
after focussing on the event this season.
ZARA EROL-WATT
FOOTBALL AND FUTSAL
Football and academic achievements are a
winning combination for Zara Erol-Watt. The
talented footballer has won Spotswood
College’s junior sportsperson of the year award
two years running while also being recognised
as the top junior scholar. Zara was selected for
the New Zealand U17 Football ID squad, the
Central Futsal U16 Squad and the Taranaki U18
squad during 2020 and 2021. She was earlier
selected in Central Football’s U14 side in 2019.
During the 2020 season she played Women’s
Central League Federation grade football.JUNIOR SPORTS TEAM
OF THE YEAR
NEW PLYMOUTH BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL FIRST XI CRICKET
The New Plymouth Boys’ High School First XI cricket team hit a rich vein of form in
their 2020-21 season. They picked up a third place in the Gillette Cup (Secondary
School Boys’ First XI Cup) and won the Heathcote Williams Shield for the first time
in New Plymouth Boys’ High School history. They also won the Central Districts Cup
during the season.
NEW PLYMOUTH BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL FIRST XI FOOTBALL
The New Plymouth Boys’ High School First XI football team bagged a historic
double when they picked up both the Taranaki Senior Mens’ League title and
the Secondary Schools Super 8 Competition in 2020. It was the first time that
a school team have topped the local competition. They also had an unbeaten
season in their traditional interschool fixtures. The side, made up of Year 11-13
students, scored 59 goals and conceded 17 during the 2020 season.JUNIOR SPORTS TEAM
OF THE YEAR
NEW PLYMOUTH BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS
The New Plymouth Boys' High School tennis team secured third place at
the New Zealand Secondary Schools National Championships, their
highest placing in the school’s history at this event. The team, which is still
a young one, also picked up the Secondary Schools Super 8 Tennis
championship in dominant fashion, only dropping one individual match
across several fixtures.
SPOTSWOOD COLLEGE BOYS' BEACH VOLLEYBALL TEAM
Spotswood College’s Rylee Houghton and Juraj
Krajci have been a force on the secondary school
beach volleyball circuit. Their run of form began
in November 2019 with a third placing at the
North Island Secondary Schools Junior Boys'
Championships. They backed this up with
another third at the New Zealand U17 Inter
Provincial National Beach Volleyball
Championships before winning the New Zealand
Secondary School Year 11 and below title, the U17
Inter Provincial National Beach Volleyball
Championships and the New Zealand Junior
Joust Beach Volleyball Event. Locally they also
won the TSSSA senior volleyball event.SERVICE TO SPORT
CHRIS WILSON
GOLF AND TENNIS
Chris Wilson has been a Taranaki sport stalwart for decades. She
served on the Inglewood Golf Club Committee for 21 years, was the
club’s junior convener for 30 years and became a Level 1 coach.
She was club captain for four years and helped establish disc golf
at the course. She is a life member of the club. Chris has also
served on the Taranaki golf course rating committee and as a
handicapper for two years. Chris was a Taranaki senior
representative for 16 years and has been a selector for two years.
She managed the junior girls representative team for two years
and has also been a Taranaki Masters representative for four years,
winning the national tournament once. Chris acted as the
tournament captain for the New Zealand Age Group Tournament
in 1998 and the New Women’s Veterans Tournament in 2005. She
has also been a contributor to Taranaki tennis for over 50 years,
playing as a Taranaki representative in various age groups since
her 1969 debut. She has also represented New Zealand and
Taranaki in Masters tennis competitions. Chris has been on the
Huatoki Tennis Club committee since 1993 and still plays Soffe
Cup tennis for the club.
GRANT SCOTT
FOOTBALL
FC Western owes much to the commitment and sacrifice of Grant
Scott. Grant has been a club member for two decades, a
committee member for 18 years, and most recently president for
five years. During his time on the committee Grant helped the club
build from one senior team into three. The teams in recent years
have had great on field success. This is no coincidence. Because of
all Grant's hard work behind the scenes the players can just focus
on performing. He still plays for the Division 2 side but is the first to
to step aside to allow others a chance to play. With a lack of club
juniors in 2018 Grant brought in coach Mick Curry to assist and the
club had seven junior teams for the 2020 season. Grant is a driving
force behind club sponsorships, social functions and working bees
and put in a huge amount of work organising the club’s 20 year
anniversary celebrations and researching the history.SERVICE TO SPORT
MIKE CAMERON
MOTORSPORT
Motorsport is a driving force in Mike Cameron’s life. He has been a
successful rally driver since 1977, when he won the 0-1300cc class in
the New Zealand National Championship. When he married Helen
in 1983, she became his co-driver. They have rallied together since
2006 in their 1977 Mitsubishi Lancer, L1L EVO, with much success in
Marathon Rallies. They won the 1301-1600cc class in the New
Zealand National Rally Championship in 2009. Mike has given much
back to the Taranaki motorsport community. He is a Licenced
Steward, a Licenced Clerk of Course Bronze, as well as a Trainer for
Clerk of Course Bronze, a Licencing Examiner, and a Competitor
Relations Officer. These roles take him throughout New Zealand to
events. He has been president, secretary, club captain and a
committee member for the South Taranaki Car Club since he joined
in 1980. He was awarded life membership in 2005 and Motorsport
New Zealand presented him with a distinguished service award in
2007. Mike mentors new drivers and has co-driven for young rally
competitors throughout New Zealand. He still competes locally if
not required as an official.
ROBYN MASTERS
TENNIS
Robyn Masters has given great service to Taranaki Tennis. She has
been on the Rotokare Tennis Club committee for 25 years, serving as
vice-president for four years and then as president for the last five
years. Robyn has played for Rotokare since the mid-1990s and was a
member of the Taranaki Ladies senior 70+ team that won the
national championships twice running. She is a Tennis NZ qualified
coaching assistant and has organised and run junior age group
tournaments and been a Hot Shots tennis coach and co-ordinator.
Robyn has been on theTaranaki Tennis Association board for the last
10 years and is the current vice-president. She has developed and
written strategic and business plans, developed the health and
safety plan and helped develop other TTA policies. She also runs the
annual policy review process. She has represented TTA at Sport
Taranaki forums, and been involved supporting the development of
a multi-sport hub in New Plymouth. Hospitality is a feature at
Rotokare Tennis Club and Robyn can often be found in the kitchen
catering for club and Taranaki events. She was recently also given a
service award from Tennis Central.SERVICE TO SPORT
SUE SOUTHGATE
SWIMMING
In 1990 Sue Southgate was asked to help at the Bell Block Swimming Club. With
her two daughters taking up swimming, she started with some volunteer
administration and timekeeping which re-introduced her to a sport she loved in
her youth. In 1993, when the Bell Block pool had a roof installed, Sue was up
painting the rafters so that swimmers could get back in the water. In 1998 she
became club coach and the club honours boards began filling up. The boards
record all the national champions Sue has coached, and since 2000 166 national
titles have been recorded. Her consistent record helping produce national
champions has continued in recent times. In December 2020, Sue coached Zac
Reid to an Olympic qualifying time in the 800m freestyle. This time was also a
New Zealand Open record. Sue currently has six swimmers who are national
champions in eight events and three of those swimmers are part of Swimming
New Zealand's Development Squad. Sue has served on the New Zealand
Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association Board for 10 years and was a
Swimming Taranaki selector for 18 years. She has won the Swimming New
Zealand Open Water Coach of the Year title three times and has been the
Swimming Taranaki Coach of the Year for the last 13 years. She is a Life Member of
Swimming Taranaki and has a Swimming New Zealand Honours Award.SENIOR SPORTSMAN
OF THE YEAR
AJEET RAI
TENNIS
Ajeet Rai has maintained a place at the top of New Zealand tennis and been
selected as the number one singles player in New Zealand’s Davis Cup ties in
2019 and 2020. While the international tennis tours were badly disrupted by
Covid-19 Ajeet and his partner won a doubles title in Cancun, Mexico and
reached two quarter finals. Ajeet also made two further singles quarter finals,
with a notable victory over a player then ranked 76 in the world. Closer to home
he also won the Auckland Open singles championship and was a finalist in the
Wellington open singles and doubles in 2020. He was unbeaten in the Tennis
Central Hexangular tournament.
DOM SQUATRITI JNR
FOOTBALL
An unselfish, committed and creative player Dom
Squatriti Jnr had an outstanding season the New
Plymouth Rangers Central Federation League team.
Dom always gave 100 per cent and fought for every
ball, he enjoyed the challenge of playing talented
players and scored 15 goals through the season. This
was the third highest tally in the competition, but
Dom also created many assists for teammates
throughout the campaign.SENIOR SPORTSMAN
OF THE YEAR
JACOB RATUMAITAVUKI-
KNEEPKINS
RUGBY
Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkins took his rugby career
to new levels despite Covid-19 disruption. Returning to
Taranaki following the cancellation of the World Sevens
Circuit he established himself as a starter for the title-
winning Tukapa Seniors. Jacob’s elusive running and
w
ttry-scoring ability quickly made him a key member of
tthe Taranaki Bulls and he made 11 appearances and
sscored eight tries during the season. One of his many
season highlights were the two first half tries he scored
against Canterbury in Taranaki’s successful Ranfurly
Shield challenge. He was selected in the New Zealand
U20 squad and the Blues Super Rugby team in 2021.
RHYS BISHOP
ATHLETICS
Coming off a strong 2019/2020 season Rhys
Bishop faced a series of challenges in 2020. While
his training in Europe went well and he recorded
a couple of quick times, Covid-19 led to many
event cancellations and Rhys returned to New
Zealand in January 2021. Fresh out of quarantine
he picked up a third place at the Cook’s Classic
and some fast times during the local club season.
A calf injury cut short his preparations for
nationals and he is now looking to the next phase
of his training.You can also read
