2020 NZRPA Player FINALIST: Patrick Tuipulotu - There is a Samoan proverb: Personal Development Awards “O le ala I le pule o le tautua.” “The way to authority is through service.”

FINALISTS AND WINNERS ANNOUNCED PATRICK TUIPULOTU HAS ADOPTED THIS PROVERB AS HE GROWS FOR AND WITH HIS PEOPLE. AT THE HEART OF PATRICK’S PRACTICE IS A DESIRE PATRICK TUIPULOTU TO POSITIVELY INFLUENCE PEOPLE, PLACES AND ENVIRONMENTS. HE DOES THIS AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY AND CONSCIOUSLY ENDEAVOURS TO many players and other rugby personnel taking up the mantle and doing CONTRIBUTE TO COMMUNITIES WITH COMPETENCE AND COMPASSION. the same in their heritage languages. AWARD BACKGROUND In 2019, Patty completed his Bachelor of Applied Management degree Patrick ‘s third personal development goal was to complete community WINNER: with distinction. His assessments focused on community development, work alongside the Graeme Dingle Foundation and the Village Trust All New Zealand Rugby Players’ cultural responsivity and leadership. He prioritised study alongside his (founded by Sir Michael Jones). During the first lockdown and Association members are encouraged Stacey Fluhler high-performance sport requirements. Aotearoa, Patty delivered groceries to those in need. He stepped up to to work on their own growth and In pre-season he wanted to intentionally apply what he studied. support people, places and principles that matter. He met with children/ development off the field during (nee Waaka) Throughout the season he continued to study leadership and learnt his youth in their schools and discussed topics such as the importance of their professional playing careers. heritage language (Samoan) alongside fellow players and staff, which saw friendship, resilience, goal-setting and positive connection. – Black Ferns him putting in over 60 hours of education. He was encouraged to converse Patrick continued to develop throughout the season. Lockdown didn’t This helps them to prepare for their to audiences in Samoan and courageously broadcasted his new learning restrict or limit his involvement in personal development – it further next chapter post rugby and it helps Sevens during post-match interviews. By doing so he became a very respectful fuelled it. Patrick showed he had a willingness, capacity and ability to learn provide an important balance in their and unassuming agent of change. This action had a ripple effect with to grow himself as a person. life away from the field. STACEY’S FLUHER’S RELENTLESS The focus on personal development WORK ETHIC IS EVIDENT BOTH continues to grow as players become STACEY FLUHLER ON AND OFF THE FIELD. WITH FINALIST: Renee Holmes - Waikato FINALIST: Jordan Hyland - Northland more aware of the importance of THE POSTPONEMENT OF THE being prepared for their next step TOKYO OLYMPIC GAMES AND THE gained a Bachelor of Health, Sport RENEE HOLMES IS PASSIONATE AND DRIVEN WHEN IT COMES TO HER away from rugby. They also recognise and Human Performance from the SPORTS. AT 20 YEARS OLD, SHE HAD REPRESENTED NEW ZEALAND IN CANCELLATION OF SEVENS WORLD AGE-GRADE FOOTBALL, TAEKWONDO AND ULTIMATE FRISBEE IN NOVEMBER, and appreciate the value of having a SERIES TOURNAMENTS, THE University of Waikato. SHE ADDED PLAYING FOR THE BLACK FERNS TO THIS IMPRESSIVE LIST OF strong emphasis on their own personal HUMBLE BLACK FERNS SEVENS Stacey also launched a business, ACHIEVEMENTS. growth off the field and the positive PLAYER REDIRECTED HER FOCUS called TSA (The Smiling Assassin), Despite all of these on-field achievements, it is her off-field character, results that that provides. There TOWARDS CREATING NEW PERSONAL selling hair accessories . commitment and achievements that have seen her become a finalist for the Stacey is a mentor for The WaterBoy. 2020 Personal Development Awards. are some impressive achievements DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES Family and community are very important to Renee, who represents the being made by players in this space. INCLUDING CONNECTING TO AND On behalf of the charity, she works Waikato Rugby Union, and she helps create a family atmosphere and builds The annual NZRPA Player Personal GIVE BACK TO HER COMMUNITY. with young people on a one-on-one strong community links wherever she goes, integrating her whanau and Development Awards celebrate some In 2020 alone, she built and launched basis and speaks at schools and rugby whanau strongly together. In 2018, Renee was named as one of 11 inaugural recipients of the Tania of these achievements. her own website – staceyfluhler. events to spread their message of inclusivity, support and diversity in Dalton Foundation scholarship programme. As part of the programme, Renee com – from scratch with no formal was given financial, mentoring and personal development support to “unlock sport. She is also an ambassador for NOMINATIONS training. The website offers a range her talent and enable her to live her biggest life”. Duffy Books, a voluntary role through Each Personal Development Manager of quality content all created by Throughout her three years as a Tania Dalton Ambassador, Renee has been which she shares her love of reading involved in many initiatives that demonstrate leadership and inspire others. from around New Zealand was invited Stacey. This includes an online programme she has developed to and supporting education. She also gives back to her hometown of Gisborne where she runs summer to nominate a player within their help busy people, including aspiring Last year, Stacey took on her first rugby camps for the community. environment who has worked hard She is studying a Bachelor of Health, Sport and Human Performance at the athletes, optimise their personal presenting role in television as the on their personal development. These University of Waikato, which she had to postpone in 2019 when she got the organisation, self-belief, work-life co-host for Te Ao Toa – a bilingual opportunity to play Sevens Rugby for the Hokkaido Barbarians in Japan. nominations were then sent to a panel balance and enjoyment of life. She one-hour sports programme Renee spent four months playing in Japan, an experience she enjoyed until who reviewed them and selected the created, scripted, filmed and edited discussing the latest sports news Covid-19 hit. finalists and the eventual winner. the content herself, drawing on the from a Māori perspective, which aired As she had already postponed her study for a year, Renee and her partner The Personal Development on TVNZ 1 on Sunday nights. Quade Tapsell, also a rugby player, set up a new online business, Boost knowledge she’s gained working in Body Recovery. The business imports and brands a range of recovery aids Award panel consists of Emily high-performance environments Stacey continued her guest-speaking for athletes and non-athletes who require support to boost blood flow and JORDAN HYLAND Downes, NZRPA National Personal and her own experiences as a work, presenting at schools and muscle recovery. Development Programme Manager, professional athlete. businesses, sharing her journey For this venture, Renee has also linked up with fellow player Toka Natua, , who Dr Nathan Price, New Zealand Rugby’s She released a book Stacey Waaka: and love for the game. She also got has her own design and screen-printing business. Toka has developed a logo JORDAN HYLAND HAS SUPPORTED HIS PLAYER GROUP BY PROVIDING for the brand and she screen prints their products. MENTORSHIP AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. HIS SKILLS IN World Champion Rugby Player. The married and began building a new Education Manager, and Peter Sinclair, Renee is independent and mature beyond her years; she manages herself WHANAUNGATANGA AND COMMITMENT TO TE REO ME ONA TIKANGA a former Personal Development book, which is aimed at younger house while playing for Waikato, who but is always the first to lend a hand to support young and emerging players. HAVE INSPIRED OTHERS TO FOLLOW SUIT BY RELINQUISHING THE Manager with 11 years of experience readers, details the Ruatoki-born were finalists in the Farah Palmer Renee frequently goes above and beyond to support others; she is adaptable WHAKAMA THAT HAS INHIBITED THEIR RECONNECTION TO CULTURE AND with the Highlanders and Otago. Sevens star’s journey from childhood Cup 2020. both on the field and off and is able to pivot and change to the needs of the IDENTITY. in Whakatane to achieving her Stacey also won World Rugby Sevens environments. Outside of rugby, Jordan owns his own company called Apex dream of representing New Zealand. awards for top try-scorer, for impact Recruitment, a labour hire company in the demolition, residential, player (a stats-based recognition of commercial and civil construction industry. During a difficult Covid-19 2020 Finalists Along the way, she shares her own economy, he has continued to build a values-based family business, and accounts of adversity and resilience. overall performance) and was named in doing this, he has provided rugby players with interim or longer-term NAME NOMINATED BY The high energy Prime Minister’s in the official women’s Dream Team. employment opportunities. He’s done this all while playing for Northland, Stacey Fluhler Black Fern Sevens Scholarship recipient is currently She is living proof that personal the Blues, Highlanders and Maori All Blacks. finishing her Post-Graduate Diploma development is a performance Jordan is an all-rounder, a family man and a role model for younger Patrick Tuipulotu Blues players coming through. Jordan has a resilience and a winning attitude in Business through Massey enhancer. Renee Holmes Waikato RENEE HOLMES that allows him to succeed both on the field and off while taking others Jordan Hyland Northland University, and she has already with him.