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Home , 2020 Farah Palmer Cup, Athletics New Zealand, Conrad Smith, Farah Palmer Cup, Okaiawa, Opunake High School

Taranaki Sports Awards 2021 Nau mai, haere mai. Welcome to the 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.Lauryn born We 1986 hope is an you accomplished have a economist,fantastic entrepreneur evening and joining togetherCEO of for Marx this Worldwide, community a global courier celebration. delivery services company headquartered in New York. PROGRAMME

6pm Welcome

Game 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 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 and 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 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 in 2020 and was invited to attend thee 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 Basketball Association, contributing to running the league with refereeing and putting on coaching clinics. He coaches the Boys A Team, runs coaching sessions at 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 201 8/19 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 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

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 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 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 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 ’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 . 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 '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 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 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 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 W A K A A M A 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 comp etitors 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 . 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 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- wwinning Tukapa Seniors. Jacob’s elusive running and ttry-scoring ability quickly made him a key member of the 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 challenge. He was selected in the New Zealand U20 squad and the 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. SENIOR SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR SAM JONES GOLF

Sam Jones returned from his scholarship in America to succeed on the national stage. His victory in the New Zealand Amateur championships was the first by a Taranaki golfer in over 40 years. It was 60 years ago that another Taranaki man claimed the title. Sam picked up several more titles in 2020, including the Cambridge Classic, where he set the co urse record and the low score for a 72 hole tournament. He also defended his North Island Strokeplay title in 2020 and captained the Taranaki Men’s team to their first semi-final in over 30 years at the Interprovincial Golf Championship.

TUPOU VAA'I RUGBY

Tupou Vaa’i had an action-packed 2020. The New Zealand U20 and Taranaki representative found himself without a Super Rugby contract until he received a late-call up from the to come into their injury hit squad. After notching up an outstanding debut season Tupou was named to start in the North vs South match and then in the 2020 All Blacks Squad. He made his test debut against Australia and has secur ed four caps and a try in his first stint with the team. SENIOR SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR ZAC REID SWIMMING

Zac Reid’s record-breaking efforts were rewarded with his selection to represent New Zealand at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games. Despite the significant Covid-19 disruption, Zac found ways to keep training. He came out of the series of lockdowns and hit top form, breaking the New Zealand record in the 800 free short course event before also besting the Taranaki record in the 200m, 400m and 800m free events in quick succession. He broke the Taranaki long course record again in the 800m free when posting his Olympic qualifying time and another New Zealand record time of 7:53.50. Zac is a solid supporter of Swimming Taranaki and can be regularly found at events presenting medals to junior swimmers or chatting and laughing with other members of his swimming club. He earned the 2020 Taranaki Swimmer of the Year award and picked up a record fourth victory in the Flannagan Cup ocean swim in February 2021. SENIOR SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR

ANNA HINTON FOOTBALL

Anna Hinton led her Moturoa AFC team with pride as they became the first Taranaki based side to win a Central Federation League title, backing up a number of other victories in recent times. Anna was a role model to many of the younger players in the squad and was instrumental in building a positive and dedicated team culture. She is a great ambassador for her club and women’s football, with her enthusiastic attitude and commitment to fair play. A versatile and experienced player, she has a flawless disciplinary record and is highly respected by opposition players and teammates.

ASHLEIGH HOETA POWERLIFTING

Impressive motivation and inner strength helped Ashleigh Hoeta pick up three national powerlifting records just five months after suffering a stroke in March 2020. Taranaki’s top female powerlifter since 2019, Ashleigh set three New Zealand National Records in August in the squat (240kg), bench (110kg) and deadlift (230kg). In December she broke her own deadlift record and in February 2021 she also broke her own national bench press mark, lifting 115kg. Her story is inspiring others and Ashleigh has been speaking to youth about her experiences. SENIOR SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR

CLAUDIA KELLY SURF LIFE SAVING Claudia Kelly has not let injuries stand in her way. She has had to battle back to fitness from two stress fractures on her foot. Both times Claudia was told she may never be cleared to race again, but she dedicated herself to rehabilitation and a string of results followed with strong finishes at the national championships in the pool and at the 2021 Eastern and Central regional events where she dominated the Open Female category. On top of all her hours spent training and competing Claudia also put in 176 hours as a Regional Lifeguard in the together with 27 more volunteer hours on the weekends at both East End Surf Lifesaving Club and the Mount Manganui Club.

HOLLY PEARSON HOCKEY

Holly Pearson made her Black Sticks debut in 2019 and has played 19 international matches since then. Holly has a strong competitive streak and steeliness to her play. She trains hard and remains humble and hopes her national recognition shows others it is possible to pursue national honours from outside the bigger cities.

SENIOR SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR

HOPE RALPH HOCKEY Hope Ralph made her Black Sticks debut in January 2020 and has become a regular player in the squad, with her speed, power and eye for a goal notable features of her play. She balances her Black Sticks duties around her studies for a sports management degree at Auckland University of Technology. She also coaches North Harbour age group rep players, runs clinics for North Harbour hockey and helps coach school teams. When she returns to Taranaki Hope runs coaching camps and visits local schools to support Taranaki hockey.

IRITANA HOHAIA RUGBY Iritana Hohaia earned her call up to the Black Ferns wider squad after an eye-catching season for the Taranaki Whio in the 2020 Cup. Iritana was an influential member of the Southern Rugby Club team who won their first title in 2020. She also was selected for the Chiefs for the first women’s game of Super Rugby early in 2021. A former New Zealand Sevens player and Taranaki Basketball representative, Iritana is a role model for many in her club, especially the younger members who see what can be achieved with talent and hard work. SENIOR SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR

LIZZIE INGHAM ORIENTEERING Lizzie Ingham’s return from Norway has been a boost for Taranaki orienteering and resulted in some impressive performances on the national and international stage. Lizzie had been training and racing in Norway for four years when she competed at the Oceania Orienteering Championships in Australia in October 2019. She won all three individual titles and ran the anchor leg for the New Zealand relay team which also won gold. Following this success she competed in the final round of the Orienteering World Cup in China, placing as the top non-European runner in the sprint race. With Covid-19 stopping international competition, Lizzie competed closer to home, remaining unbeaten in the 2020 New Zealand Orienteering League, and winning the overall individual title. She was a pivotal member of the Orieteering Taranaki team and organised and coached orienteering at grass roots level. She also found time to play football for New Plymouth Rangers Football Club, captaining their Central League Federation Cup side in 2021.

TANIA REID BOXING After overcoming a tough upbringing Tania Read knows how to fight to the top. In 2019 after a string of disappointing results as a professional boxer Tania took the brave step to sell her business and focus on training and competing. After two tough stints of training in Thailand, Tania returned and claimed the Australian National Boxing Federation's Australasian Lightweight title. She was the first New Zealand women to have won the title – which made her the top ranked boxer in New Zealand and took her to number 36 in the world. SENIOR SPORTSWOMAN OF THE YEAR

VANESSA WAY DRESSAGE

Vanessa Way is an exceptional rider whose dedication shines through her performances and ability to produce flowing, athletic tests from all her horses. She juggles her riding with coaching commitments and travels extensively around New Zealand. Vanessa is one of New Zealand’s elite dressage riders and had a stellar 2020/21 season, winning several national, North Island and regional titles with her team of horses. At Dressage Taranaki's Premier League show in January she won seven out of her eight tests with seven scores over 70 per cent. Vanessa is a great ambassador for Taranaki and is always encouraging her students to travel here to compete or train.

ZOE HOBBS ATHLETICS Zoe Hobbs is setting the pace in New Zealand’s 100m competition. Zoe won the 100m at the 2021 New Zealand Athletics Championships and came second in the 200m. She set a new resident record of 11.35 seconds in the 100m in January 2021 and equalled the New Zealand record time of 11.32 in March 2021. Zoe rose through the ranks of Athletics Taranaki after starting as a five-year-old at Eltham Athletics and Egmont Athletics. She takes time to encourage athletes of all ages and was happy to support the Colgate Games held in Inglewood in 2021 by attending the medal ceremonies. She is a great role model for the athletics community. SENIOR SPORTS TEAM OF THE YEAR

CENTRAL FEDERATION LEAGUE TEAM NEW PLYMOUTH RANGERS FOOTBALL CLUB

The New Plymouth Rangers top senior mens' team won the Central Federation League Competition with a near perfect record in 2020, only suffering one loss and two draws across the season. This is an impressive feat given the competition includes the best teams from Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu, Whanganui and Taranaki. The last time a Taranaki team won this competition was 2016, when Team Taranaki were champions. NORMANBY KNIGHTS RUGBY

In early 2020 a group got together to put together a rugby team. After unsuccessful approaches to join existing clubs the team were able to join forces with the Normanby/Okaiawa Knights Rugby League Club and the Normanby Knights Rugby Club was formed. With the commitment of two or three key founders, and little resource they went on to have an outstanding season. The Normanby Knights were undefeated in the Taranaki Division 2 competition and beat Tukapa 13-11 in the final. They are proud of their team culture, creating a whānau-oriented environment which helped breathe more life into Division 2 rugby in South Taranaki. SENIOR SPORTS TEAM OF THE YEAR

INTERCLUB TEAM PARITUTU BOWLING CLUB

The Paritutu Bowling Club interclub team hit a golden run of form in recent seasons. Not only did they win the Taranaki Mens' Interclub competition in the 2019-2020 season they also won all five Open Champion of Champions Finals events, making them the first club in the history of the event to do so. SENIOR SPORTS SQUAD EAST END SURF LIFE SAVING CLUB

The East End Surf Life Saving Club Senior Sports Squad has become a consistent force on the national and regional scene despite often lacking the resources or numbers to compete with larger clubs from Auckland or Bay of Plenty. The squad were the Taranaki Champions and Central Regional Champions in 2020 and 2021. They finished third at the Eastern Region Championships, the best finish in the club’s history. They finished sixth in the Surf Life Saving New Zealand Nationals in 2020 with performances including six national champions and 18 podium finishes. The squad has four members selected in various national high-performance squads or teams. SENIOR SPORTS TEAM OF THE YEAR WOMEN'S TEAM SOUTHERN RUGBY CLUB

The Southern Women’s team won the Taranaki championship title in 2020, going through the competition unbeaten. 15 players went on to represent the Port Taranaki Whio in the . The team’s head coach, Devon Barry, was appointed as forwards coach for the Whio, while Latesha Berry was made team manager.

'TEAM PUMBA' EAST END SURF LIFE SAVING CLUB

Scott Nelson and Liam Cole, racing together as ‘Team Pumba’, took out the top team title at the 2021 IRB Nationals after claiming first placings in the Open Men’s Team Race, Men’s Mass Rescue and the Open Men’s Assembly Rescue. They also picked up fourth in the Open Men’s Tube Rescue. This followed their regional victories in 2020 and 2021, where they won the Taranaki Top Overall Club title. Scott and Liam are both long-serving East End Surf Life Saving Club committee members. Scott is Powercraft Officer and Liam has served as the Lifeguard Co-ordinator. Scott is also a key member of the Taranaki Call Out Squad, a 24/7 search and rescue surf life saving unit. They also both put in many hours of voluntary and event lifeguard duty during the season.