Coach of the Year An award acknowledging people who have contributed to the coaching of sport. Recognises the coach’s success. highmarkhomes.co.nz
Mark Harris
Joe Harwood
Dane Lett
Michael O’Connor
ATHLETICS
RUGBY
HOCKEY
HOCKEY
Mark has coached numerous Wairarapa athletes to success at Athletics NZ Championships, NZ Secondary School Championships, and Colgate Games. They include Liam Lamb, who won the 2019 national U20 3000m title, and qualified in the 5000m for the World University Games, Matt Rodger, Jared Yee, Jack Lewington, and Mia and John Hewson, to name a few. He has also coached local athletes to achieve their own personal goals. Mark is a lead coach for Run Jump Throw and Get Set Go courses delivering to 1700 children over 2019 -20, and is a coach developer-trainer for Athletics Wellington.
Joe coached WairarapaBush to the semifinals of the 2019 Meads Cup – the top four in the Heartland Rugby Championship. Wai-Bush won six of their eight round-robin games, including winning the prized Bruce Steele Cup from Whanganui, and qualified for a semifinal away to North Otago. The green and reds were unlucky not to progress to the final, going down 25-27 to the eventual champions. Tristan Flutey, James Goodger, Lachie McFadzean, and Tim Priest were included in the NZ Heartland XV. Joe retired after coaching the side to four wins from five games in the truncated 2020 representative season.
Dane coached Dalefield to win the Wellington Hockey Premier Men’s Championship in 2019 and 2020. Dane took over the coaching of Dalefield in 2019 and made an immediate impact, calling on his Black Sticks international experience, to lead Dalefield to their first premier championship in three years, beating defending champions Hutt United 2-1 in the final. In 2020 Dane coached Dalefield to back-to-back titles, and their fourth in six seasons, with a 3-1 victory over Harbour City in the final. Dane led the team to a rare perfect season, winning all 14 games, many by wide margins.
Michael coached Dalefield to a surprise win in the 2020 Wellington Hockey Women’s Premier Championship. Dalefield won the decider over Hutt United 1-0 in a shootout after the scores were locked together 2-2 at fulltime. The win followed a loss to Hutt in the first round of playoffs, forcing Dalefield into a sudden death match against Harbour City, which they won 3-0. The victory was Dalefield’s second with Michael in charge, an outstanding achievement for someone whose main sport is rugby in which he represented Wairarapa-Bush in 20 games.
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Reuben Weber General Manager
20 | WAIRARAPA TIMES-AGE SPORTS AWARDS 2020-2021
