Tararua Sportsperson of the Year 2009 Winners

SPORTSPERSON OF THE YEAR

Maia Tua-Davidson – Rugby League WINNER
Maia was a member of the New Zealand Women’s Rugby League Team that won the World Cup for the third year in a row and was named the 2008 New Zealand Rugby League Women’s Player of the Year. Maia was also named the 2008 National EIT Women’s Rugby League Most Valuable Player and was the Captain of the Hawke’s Bay Women’s Rugby League team that was placed 2nd at Nationals. Maia is also a member of the Te Tini a Maui Women’s Maori Rugby Union Team.

Nominees:

Geoff Booth – Motorcycle Racing
Geoff was 2nd overall at the 2009 New Zealand National Superbike Champs after a five round series. Results included 1st Senior, 2nd TT at Pukekohe, 1st overall weekend at Pukekohe and 3rd NZ G.P. Geoff was also 2nd overall at the Victoria Motorcycle Club after a six round series.

Adam Reeves – Off Road Motorcycle Racing
Adam was 1st in his class and 2nd overall at the New Zealand Cross Country Championships and 1st in his class and 3rd overall at the New Zealand Enduro Championships. Adam also placed 1st in class and 1st overall at the North Island Cross Country Championships. At the Central Enduro Series Adam was 1st in the E2 class and 1st in class and 1st overall at the Bush Riders Cross Country Series.

Richard Day – Duathlon
Richard represented New Zealand at the International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Long Distance Duathlon Championships in Belgium and was 12th in the 35-39 age group. He attended the Powerman Zofungen Duathlon World Championships in Switzerland placing 19th in age group, attended the ITU Standard Distance Duathlon World Championships in Italy, and placed 51st. Richard placed 7th overall and 4th in age group at the New Zealand Duathlon Champs, came 2nd in the Manawatu Tri Club Duathlon in May and won this in July. Local achievements include winning the Duathlon section of the Infracon Challenge.

Team of the Year

Tararua College Boys 1st XI Hockey Team WINNER
Tararua College Boys 1st XI Hockey Team won the Founders Cup Secondary Schools Hockey Tournament for the second time in three years and they won the Manawatu Hockey Division 5 Grade (Secondary School grade). They played 23 games and never lost.

Dannevirke High School ‘A’ Netball Team MERIT AWARD
The Dannevirke High School ‘A’ Netball team chose to attend the Brisbane Southern Skies Tournament and was 3rd overall beating all the other New Zealand teams. The team was 3rd overall in Hawke’s Bay Secondary School Competition 1st Division. Promoted to Division 1 at the 2009 Lower North Island Secondary School (LNISS) Netball Tournament after placing runner up in Division 2.

Nominees:

Dannevirke Tigers Rugby League Premier Team
The Dannevirke Tigers Rugby League Team won the Manawatu Premier Reserve Grade Round One, went on to become the Premier Grade Champions and overall points champions. This team has been instrumental in supporting community initiatives including developing and implementing a Sport and Wellness Programme with youth.

Tararua College Boys ‘A’ Football Team
Tararua College Boys ‘A’ Football Team won the League competition in Division Two and won the knockout competition in Division Two. Conceded only seven goals.

Pahiatua School ‘A’ Netball Team
Pahiatua School ‘A’ Netball Team were the winners of the A Grade Bush Primary Netball and the Manawatu A2 Grade. Five players from the team became 2008 Representatives in the Bush Rep Team for Year 8.

Junior Sportsperson of the Year

Jenna Buchanan – Swimming WINNER
Jenna was selected to represent New Zealand at the 2008 Pacific School Games in Canberra her results were finals in 100m Butterfly, two relays and four timed finals (top placing 7th). Jenna is a member of the New Zealand Development Squad and the New Zealand Tri Series. Jenna attended the New Zealand Age group champs, made six finals and was 3rd in the 100m Butterfly. She also attended the New Zealand Springs and made six finals. At the New Zealand Summer Opens Jenna placed 5th in the 100m Butterfly, 7th in the 50m Butterfly and 50m Backstroke. Jenna was named Manawatu Swimmer of the Year and broke 12 Manawatu Age Group records (1st in six events, 2nd in three events and a cup for the most points). At the East Coast senior champs Jenna was 1st in seven events and 2nd in four events. Jenna broke six records to become the Dannevirke High School Junior Swimming Champ.

Jesse Quaife- Athletics MERIT AWARD
Jesse was selected to represent New Zealand at the 2008 Pacific School Games in Canberra and his results were 4th in discus and 11th for shot put. Jesse was also selected for the East Coast North Island Team at the North Island Secondary School Regional Athletic championships where he came 1st in both discus and shot put. Jesse represented the Hawke’s Bay Gisborne region at the ANZ National Champs in Wellington after setting a record in the discus and shot put at the Hawke’s Bay Gisborne Champs in Hastings. Jesse received a bronze medal in discus and a bronze medal in shot put when he attended the New Zealand Secondary School Champs in Hamilton.

Nominees

Melissa Te Huki – Netball/Basketball
Melissa made the Dannevirke High School ‘A’ Netball team as a Year 10 student, was the only 14 year old selected for the Eastern Netball High Performance Academy and was also selected for the Under 17 I Karoa Kite Raki (Maori Netball) Team. Melissa was also selected for the 2008 Manawatu Under 17 Basketball Team.

Kathryn Pound - Swimming
Kathryn qualified for the 2009 National Division II Swimming Competition in six individual events, which took place in March. In 2008, Kathryn broke all eight Tararua College Under 15 Girls Swimming records. Kathryn was also a member of the Manawatu Secondary School Girls Cricket Team and participated in Girls Cricket, Netball, Basketball, Interschool Athletics, Interschool Swimming and Interschool Cross Country at College Level.

Michael McKnight – Football
Michael was Captain of the 2008 Under 15 Central Manchester United Nike Premier Cup Team, selected for the 2008 Under 15 Manawatu Reps Team and selected for the Under 16 Central Federation Rep Team. Michael also captained the Tararua College 1st XII Team and was a member of the 2008 North End Men’s Club 1st and 2nd Teams.

Michael Clarke – Basketball
Michael is a member of the New Zealand Men’s Under 18 Basketball Team. He was also a member of the Palmerston North Boys High Senior A and Premier A Teams.

Michael was a member of the Palmerston North Association Under 17 team that was fourth at Nationals. He is a player of Metahi Men’s team (Dannevirke) and a referee. He was also a member of the Palmerston North Junior Tournament Team.

Todd McHardy- Hockey
Todd was a member of the 2008 Central Mavericks team and played at the National Tournament in Auckland. He was also a member of the Central Under 21 team and the Manawatu Under 18 team. Todd was a member of the High School Hockey Club that won both the Central League and Manawatu Premier Men’s Competitions. Todd also captained the successful Tararua College Boys 1st XI Hockey team.

Samantha Stephenson- Smallbore Rifle Shooting
Samantha was selected in the New Zealand Junior Target Shooting Development squad and was a member of the New Zealand Secondary Schools team that competed against Great Britain. Other achievements include C Grade Bush Open Winner, Manawatu Secondary Schools Team, North Island C Grade Champion, Palmerston North Girls High School National Team and North Island Secondary School Team.

Brayden Stephens – Motocross
Brayden has received an acceptance letter to be in the New Zealand Elite Motocross Squad for the 2009 World Junior Motocross Champs. Brayden’s achievements include 4th in the North Island Junior Motocross Champs, 4th in the New Zealand Junior Motocross Champs, 1st in the Bush Motocross Club Champs after a 6 round series, 9th in the New Zealand Flat Track Champs, 2nd in Wanganui Motocross Club Champs, 2nd in four hour Bush Bash Cross Country Motocross (junior team), 1st in Wanganui Flat Track Champs, 3rd in Manawatu/Orion Club Champs and 3rd in Woodville International Motocross.

Administrator/Volunteer of the Year

Douglas Isaacson – Dannevirke A&P Assn WINNER
Douglas has been the President for the Dannevirke A&P Association for eight years and has been involved with events that utilise the grounds such as the National Horse and Pony Show, World Cup Showjumping Round, Central & Southern Hawke’s Bay Showjumping groups, Dannevirke A&P Show and Dannevirke Wheels with Attitude. Douglas brings many people into Dannevirke and the show grounds are now well known throughout Australasia for Equestrian Events. Other duties include organising sponsorship (signage hire at the grounds), turf consultant and facilitating the grounds usage with different groups and sports codes.

Marie Clarke – Shearing MERIT AWARD
Marie has been the President of Pahiatua Shears and organiser of the Pahiatua National Shearing Championships for six years. Duties include managing over 100 nationwide competitors, sponsorship, sheep management, catering, volunteer management, hosting judges, staging setup and timing equipment. Marie is on the North Island Electronic Timing Committee involved in ‘set up, operation and dismantling’ of the Electronic Timing system and travels to the New Zealand Shearing Competitions and Golden Shears International Champs for this role. Marie is a delegate at the North Island Shearing Sports.

Nominees

Jeanne O’Brien – Dannevirke Tigers Rugby League Club
Jeanne received the Dannevirke Tigers Rugby League Club award for “most contribution to the sport”. Jeanne attends weekly Tigers Rugby League Club meetings as well as monthly conference club meetings in Palmerston North. Other duties for the club include financial management, sponsorship, uniforms, First Aid at games, maintaining scrapbook, after match functions, promoting alcohol free events to club members and whanau and establishment and maintaining a partnership relationship with Aotea Club for the development of both clubs and codes.

David Harman – Bush Harrier Club
David is the President of the Bush Harrier Club. David successfully managed the Hansell’s 5km Series he was responsible for sponsorship, advertising, race day safety and course controller. This was a new initiative in February 2008 and in February 2009 attracted on average 135 participants over the six weeks. David was the head coordinator of the Bush Harrier Half Marathon, instigated a change of course, and completed the traffic management requirements. David was the driving force to get the Harrier Club affiliated to the Bush Multisport Trust. Other duties include website development and Bush Multisport Trust Management Committee member.

Kevin Laskey – Cycling
Kevin created the Laskey Cycle Challenge Series that runs from September to February. Kevin also helps runs the Bush Cycle Tour which attracted 500 cyclists in March 2008. Duties for this event include traffic management plan, sponsorship, advertising and registration forms. Kevin also assists local cyclists and off road motorcyclists with nutrition information, cycling tips, mechanical services and training programmes.
Coach of the Year

Andrew Rankin and Mike Rivers - Tararua College 1st XV Rugby Team WINNER
Andrew and Mike coached the 2008 Tararua College 1st XV Rugby Team. They set goals for the season with the team and achieved their goal by winning the Manawatu Division two Secondary School competition (last time this was achieved was 13 years ago). The team travelled to Australia to play against Under 20 teams. Members from the team were selected for Wairarapa and Manawatu age group representatives. Andrew and Mike worked with players to achieve individual goals and quickly gained the boys respect. They set high standards for behaviour, skills and attitudes on and off the field.

Official of the Year – Not Contested

Personality of the Year – Kevin Laskey – Cycling (by public vote)

Kevin created the Laskey Cycle Challenge Series that runs from September to February. Kevin also helps runs the Bush Cycle Tour which attracted 500 cyclists in March 2008. Duties for this event include traffic management plan, sponsorship, advertising and registration forms. Kevin also assists local cyclists and off road motorcyclists with nutrition information, cycling tips, mechanical services and training programmes.