CAPTURING EAST COAST

Rugby Moments

Lisa Wyeth has shared the East Coast Club Captain role with Nicole James for the past six or seven years.

It’s an important position, but it is Lisa’s uno˜ cial role as photographer for the club that is her major passion.

Lisa grew up in a “massive rugby family”, with dad Joe Wyeth a WairarapaBush representative.

Joe used to play for Masterton Club but the family later gravitated to East Coast, re° ecting Joe’s love of the great outdoors, the family’s close relationship with Castlepoint, and son Joseph playing for the club.

Joe went on to coach both the Premiers and Reserves, helping the Premiers to win the grand ÿ nal for the ÿ rst time in 60 years.

Lisa always watched the games from the sideline and when she became interested in photography, noticed that some other clubs had photographers posting images to their Facebook pages.

EAST COAST Rugby Football Club

“I thought it would be good to start putting up photos for East Coast as it is a country club that no-one ever sees anything about.

“I started putting photos up in 2014 and everyone loved them.”

Lisa dabbled with the thought of becoming a professional photographer but instead became a chef, saving her photography for rugby.

“I love photos that capture the moment. Rugby photos are so di˝ erent. I also like to take photos of what is happening on the sideline.

“We have an awesome bunch of supporters. We are all a family.”

Lisa takes photos of the entire game, taking hundreds of photos at each match.

“I think that is where am a bit di˝ erent. Rather than random shots, I like telling the story of the whole game.

“I put up about 80 photos of each game. Sorting through and uploading them takes a few hours.

“I also put them on our website for people who don’t use Facebook and email photos out to people who would like a copy of a particular photo.”

Lisa always photographs both the Reserves and Premier games, going to the Reserves match ÿ rst and then driving to the Premier game.

“I don’t play favourites. don’t like to miss out on a game.”

A framed collage of Lisa’s photos are given to East Coast award winners at the end of each season.

Contacts

Ross Wakeling [President]

P 06 372 6861

E rockview@xtra.co.nz

NETBALL ADDS WOMEN’S TOUCH TO CARTERTON RUGBY

Having Carterton Netball join the Carterton Rugby Football Club has been a “breath of fresh air”, says club President Steve Hurley.

Carterton Netball still operates as a separate club, Steve says, but uses all the rugby club’s facilities and has a representative on the rugby club’s committee.

The club grounds will feature two new netball courts for the women to practice on in the near future.

Steve believes all of the Wairarapa’s rugby clubs - and all sporting clubs - need to look at getting involved with clubs in other codes.

CARTERTON Rugby Football Club

For the 2022 season Carterton is delighted to have Neil Rodger, Garth Thomson, Mike Wakeÿ eld and Rhys Scott on board as Premier coaches.

The reserves will be coached by club stalwarts Brett Aitken, Brad Keating and Kerry McGhie.

The JAB numbers are up on last year as we see new families moving to Carterton.

Carterton Netball is now part of the club and they will be ÿ elding seven senior teams.

Pre-season training kicked o° in February and it is encouraging to see good numbers.

There is a familiar look about the squads, but there are also a number of new players in both the Premier and Reserve line-ups.

The Premiers had arranged two pre-season games but unfortunately both have had to be cancelled due to players having Covid.

The players are currently reaping the beneÿ ts of the club’s investment in an independent water supply and the playing surfaces are in excellent condition.

Carterton welcomes any new members as players, administrators or supporters.

All of the Wairarapa’s rugby clubs are struggling to ÿ nd players at the moment, Steve says. “There are a number of reasons for this. One is covid and a di° erent society.

“There are a lot of pressures on employees - play a game of rugby versus work. Work is always going to win.

“Also, we haven’t had full seasons for the last two years. And there is a lot of competition for people’s time.

“I think rugby is realising this, and certainly there are e° orts to promote rugby and get more people into the game, especially families and women.

“Women’s rugby is a big thing, with Wairarapa having its own team with players from throughout the region.”

Steve’s involvement with the game goes all the way back to his school days at St Joseph’s College in Masterton (now Chanel).

His family’s involvement with the Carterton Rugby Club –going back to his grandfather –meant Steve was always going to play for the club.

Since 1982 he has been a player, coach, chairman, and president for the past eight years.

CARTERTON rugby football club

Contacts

One of the signiÿ cant features of the club, Steve says, is its commitment to the principles of “Commitment, Trust, Brotherhood” or CTB as it is known amongst the players, coaches and management.

“The players drive it and we really try and build on it each year. We are far from perfect and make mistakes, but it is a reminder of what we expect from people.”