28 September Wainuiomata News

By Frank Neill

They are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and work for no pay. They save lives, they save property and they help people in distress. They are Wainuiomata’s volunteer fire fighters.

More than 35 fire fighters, together with 13 operational support people, serve the community as members of the Wainuiomata Volunteer Fire Brigade, which celebrated its 78th birthday on 4 September.

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Firefighter Dave Logan (left) and Alex Conde operating a hose during training. Photo: Frank Neill.

How to reach us

Keeping the community safe

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Phone (04) 587 1660

Address 23 Broderick Rd, Johnsonville P.O. Box 38-776, WMC 5045

Fax (04) 587 1661

ONLINE: www.wsn.co.nz

REPORTER

Frank Neill wainui@wsn.co.nz 027 490 3916

The brigade fights fires, but also serves in a variety of other ways.

They attend medical emergencies and motor vehicle accidents, to name two other ways they help people in distress.

“Our main focus is on keeping our community safe and looked after,” says senior firefighter Mati Soi.

“There’s a lot of us who have got a good record of saving people. That all comes down to a team effort – working together to get the best result,” he said.

“I love serving the community,” says one of the brigade’s officers, Alex Cade.

Fortunately no Wainuiomata firefighters have lost their lives in the line of duty.

“We’ve been lucky,” Wainuiomata’s Chief Fire Officer Ewen Heron says.

“We haven’t had anyone with any serious injuries fighting fires.”

That is an excellent record, given that “when everybody else is running out, we are running in,” Mr Heron adds.

Fighting fires tops the list of callouts for the year to 31 August 2022. The brigade was called to 15 structure fires, four vegetation fires and 36 other fires during the 12 months.

They were called on to rescue a baby seagull that had fallen from its nest on one of the rooves at Wainuiomata Intermediate School onto a lower roof.

tender, it remained in service until 1965.

SALES

Les Whiteside les@wsn.co.nz 021 360 008

The highlights of his time in the brigade have been “the people you save, the properties you save, the people you help out in hard times.”

Not only do the brigade members work for free, they also place themselves at some risk as they fight fires and carry out rescues.

As well as the risk of death, injury and smoke inhalation, there is also a psychological risk.

The brigade also attended 50 medical emergencies and 32 motor vehicle accidents during the year.

They were called on to assist people in various ways 20 times and responded to calls following spillages of hazardous materials four times.

Normally the SPCA would carry out such a rescue, but they were busy at the time, so the firefighters rescued the baby seagull and put it back in its nest.

The Wainuiomata Volunteer Fire Brigade was officially formed on 4 September 1944.

It had taken a major house fire in 1943 to provide the impetus to establish the brigade.

It was not until 1963, however, that the brigade got its first “real” fire engine, a Commer Karier Gamecock.

The first fire station was built in 1945 opposite Wainuiomata School.

A new station was built in Fitzherbert Road during 1971, and was officially opened on 27 July.

NATIONAL SALES

Sam Barnes sam@wsn.co.nz 021 109 4406

CLASSIFIED SALES eds@wsn.co.nz

Because they are quite frequently exposed to trauma, firefighters can suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This risk is heightened if brigade members attend an accident or a fire where someone known to them has been killed or injured, or even someone who looks like or is of a similar age to a loved one.

Good training in PTSD and good support services are in place, however, significantly mitigating this risk.

False alarms resulted in 35 call outs, while there were 18 special service calls during the year. Special service calls include events not fitting the above categories, such as helicopter landings and lines down.

The brigade responded to 215 call outs during the year – almost two every three days.

There are many stories for firefighters being called on to do something unusual or quirky, such as saving a cat from the top of a lamppost, and the Wainuiomata brigade has a number of these stories too.

Ulalei netball celebrates

This fire led to lengthy deliberations over the months that followed, with Jack Dunn, who would become the brigade’s first superintendent, and Wainuiomata Development Company director Mr F Wise playing leading roles.

There was no fire engine at first. When the siren sounded Ted Smith would race to the station in his Morris 8 and pick up the necessary gear before driving to the fire.

The brigade would not get its first fire engine, a Ford V8 Marmon Herrington four-wheel drive, until 1946. A former Air Force

Following that, the old fire station was brought from its original site to the Fitzherbert Road station, where the brigade is now stationed.

Among the hundreds of years’ service firefighters have provided Wainuiomata, 25 people have received gold stars for 25 years’ service.

John May, who is now retired, also received an award for 50 years’ service in 2019, when he was Senior Station Officer.

Chief Fire Officer Heron is rapidly approaching 50 years’ service, having served almost 48 years, all with the Wainuiomata brigade.

Mr Heron became the brigade’s ninth Chief Fire Officer in 2013.

Ulalei Wainuiomata Netball Club celebrated a successful season at its prize--giving at Pelorus Trust House on 24 September Foundation member Lagi Moananu opened the event with a lotu/karakia. MC Scott McLeod, a staunch and loyal supporter of Ulalei, commended Ulalei on once again attracting several quality players from Wainuiomata as well as Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt and Wellington with an age range from as young as 14 years to 30 plus.

Mr McLeod acknowledged the sponsors and supporters of the club, including foundation member Tira Cairns, Laban aiga and Olsen aiga, for their monetary donations to help reduce fees for secondary school players and pay Wainuiomata High School for the use of the gymnasium for training; Hutt Mana Charitable

Trust for funding playing tops for the social teams; and FIT5014 for use of equipment for NetFit sessions. The captains/co-captains of each team spoke about their teams’ performance during the season applauding the whanau atmosphere of the club and playing netball for the love of the game and camaraderie.

Club Prize Winners

Ulalei Laga’ali – Reserve 2, presented by the Club’s Patron, Hon Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban. Most Improved Player Krystle Edwards, Player’s Player Maria Gillies, Most Valuable Player (Emi Laban Trophy) Armia Morris.

Ulalei Moso’oi – Senior 4, presented by number one supporter Mr Joseph Godinet. Most Improved Player Nataria Fa’apepele, Player’s Player Aja Te Aho. Most Valuable Player Summer Murray.

Ulalei Fuesina Senior 2, presented by foundation member, Tira Cairns. Most Improved Player Brooke Cowpland, Player’s Player Quandala Tuala, Most Consistent Player Hannah Smith.

Ulalei Aute - Premier 1, presented by Mrs Vaiula Sagaga. Most Improved Player Rebecca Forsyth, Player’s Player Luisa Milovale, Most Valuable Player Alofa AberdeinTapu’.

Netball Hutt Valley Representatives

Iveti Nau (under 14); Norah Smith (under 14 coach); Alofa AberdeinTapu ’ , Oakley Baldwin and Sina Tamaalii (open age team); Hannah Smith (under 16 Hutt Valley Gold team); Janique Te Wiki-Mu and Talilagi Smith-Saleupolu (under 16 Hutt Valley White team).

Ulalei congratulated the teams’

standout supporters who turned out each Saturday vocally supporting and encouraging the teams: Phillip Gillies (for Laga’ali), Joseph Godinet (for Moso’oi), Hoani and Norah Smith (for Fuesina), and Shona Savage (for Aute).

Ulalei members were acknowledged for their involvement in the community to grow the game of netball. They included: Drew McLeod, Lahraine Sagaga and Melanie Laban – coaches of Ulalei Junior Twilight team, Sina Tamaalii and Memory Hopoi-Timo – coaches of Wainuiomata Intermediate team, Drew McLeod, Lahraine Sagaga and Melanie Laban – coaches of Ulalei Junior Twilight team, Lee Beazley – coach of Wanuiomata High School Junior 1 team (Collegiate 4 winners), Toli Sagaga –coach of Wainuiomata High School

President Alannah Laban was very pleased with how the prize-giving went stating: “We haven’t had a prize-giving since 2019 because of Covid, and so the Komiti were determined to make this one special. From the feedback we received from the players and family, I think we achieved that.

“I was particularly touched by the comments made by ‘the newbies’ to the club, saying they immediately felt welcomed and part of the family when they joined. That is what we are about. And why we (the Komiti) keep coming back each year. But I am sure the Komiti will be looking forward to a well-deserved break. Fa’afetai,” smiled Ms Laban.

At the 1 September training night, most of the Wainuiomata volunteer firefighters. Photo: Frank Neill.

Junior 2 team (Collegiate 6 runners up), Lahraine Sagaga – NetFit for all club netballers on Thursday evenings.

Ulalei foundation members Tira Cairns, Lagi Moananu, Alannah Laban and Karen Sagaga.

Ulalei Fuesina prize winners, Brooke Cowpland, Hannah Smith and Quandala Tuala.

The extra hour of sunlight at night time.

Promoted to the centre front

By Frank Neill

Exchange student Shintaro Hamao has been performing exceptionally well since joining Wainuiomata High School’s Polynesian Club.

The club is currently rehearsing for its upcoming Y Factor performance at the school on 30 September.

“Shintaro is the best,” says Penny Vine, the teacher who runs the Polynesian Club. And this is despite being relatively new to New Zealand and Polynesian cultures, having only arrived at Wainuiomata High School in July.

Shintaro has performed so well he has been “promoted to the centre of the front row” for the upcoming performance, Ms Vine said “He had all the actions on point and knew all of them.”

Daiji Kataoka, the teacher in charge of international students, is also full of praise for Shintaro.

“He’s got that great character – friendly and

easy going.

“His character fits right in with all the cultures we have at the school.”

From the Chiba prefecture – in the greater Tokyo area – Shintaro is in year 12 and will study at Wainuiomata High School for two years.

When asked why he chose to come to Wainuiomata High School Shintaro said: “I love New Zealand. It has a beautiful nature and people. And I want to speak English fluently.”

In addition, Wainuiomata High School has two Japanese staff members and students from a variety of different ethnic backgrounds, including Polynesian, M ori, Indian and Chinese, he said.

Shintaro’s career goal is to become a nurse, following in the footsteps of his mother. He is currently looking for work experience, and would be particularly interested in working in the health area.

I enjoy the extra daylight. You’ve got more time in the day.

Thoughts on Queen St

Wainuiomata people are being asked to share their thoughts on what can make Queen Street a better place to visit.

First Retail Group is working in partnership with Love Wainuiomata and Hutt City Council to plan future success in the new town centre.

As part of this, First Retail Group has launched a survey asking people to take 3-4 minutes to share their thoughts and feedback “so we can better understand your needs and aspirations as we work

together to make Queen Street an even better place to visit”.

“Your ideas will help continue to shape the future success of Queen Street shopping and dining experiences,” the survey says.

The survey is at https://first-retail-groupltd.involve.me/wainui-queen-street-locals?fbclid=IwAR2qs9fH0_gyFNQZSe97vKpno6oKcCV4IHKW4Q1m4AdiiekBx-r33zJhnr4.

readers have their say... Find out the WORD on the Street.

Q: What do you like and what don’t you like about daylight saving?

Wayne Newman

I like the extra hour of light, but I don’t like having to get up an hour earlier.

Keanu Macdonald

I like that we get more light. I don’t like having to wake up an hour earlier.

Karen Warrington

Des Jago

I don’t like that they give it to us and then they take it away. I wish they’d keep it there.

Bruce Walker

Paul Richardson

I love daylight saving. I’d love to have it all year. It gives us more light at night to get things done.

Shintaro Hamao rehearsing for the upcoming Wainuiomata High School Polynesian Club performance. Photo: Frank Neill.

Work in progress on Queen Street. Photo: Frank Neill.

To the Editor

Letters on issues of community interest are welcomed.

A maximum of 150 words please.

They must be signed and a street address provided to show good faith, even when a nom de plume is provided for publication.

The editor reserves the right to abridge letters or withhold

letters from publication.

Email them to news@wsn. co.nz or drop in to our office at 23 Broderick Road, Johnsonville.

Please note that your name and street address MUST be provided with emails.

Letters/Opinions not necessarily those of the Wainuiomata News management.

GARDENING THIS WEEK

Solving pest problems : By Wally Richards

Dear Editor,

I look around at all the stupidity going on – people throwing bread out onto the street for the ducks.

They are not only sending the ducks to their death by getting knocked down by cars, it is also not good to feed ducks on white bread.

You are filling them with starch. Think what is in bread. You are taking the wild ducks out of their natural habitat feeding them junk food.

Now onto something very serious – we all have been brainwashed by the powers we all pay our rates to saying 1080 only kills possums, stoats, rats etc.

Just think – eventually all that 1080 will end up killing kiwis and human kiwis.

Insects that get killed by

1080 will get eaten by birds of all types, plus it will end up in our water one day. It only takes one accident to occur near the reservoir and the chopper loses its 1080 load into the dam and that ends up in your tap water.

Man has actually interfered with nature, killing species.

My dog died because it killed a rat that was poisoned by rat poison.

Man has become too dependent on using poisons instead of using conventional methods. Poisons are a curse to man and beast.

Let’s get 1080 stopped and let nature do its own work. Nature looks after its own.

Peter Wells [Abridged]

It is a new gardening season and once it warms up the pest populations will quickly grow.

So far the temperatures have been below what would be normal for this time of the year and considering we are only a few weeks away from Labour Weekend it is most strange.

Temperatures have a great bearing on insect pest activity and population growth.

An ideal spring is an early one with 2-3 weeks of nice warm temperatures which attract the pests out of hiding to get on with their lives.

Then a sudden cold snap for a week will bowl most of them out of our gardens and then delay the problems they cause till after the new year.

As the weather/temperatures are not great yet it means they are marking time for better days.

If we place controls in now and over the next few weeks we will be able to stop, confuse and eliminate a lot of the pests before their populations start to build.

This can be achieved by quick elimination of the pests that are lurking about on our plants by the use of the quick knock down spray; Wallys Super Pyrethrum.

For General use at 1ml to 2 litres of water (5ml to 10 litres of water) It is very concentrated and very cost effective.

Best used just prior to sunset when bee activity has ceased.

The spray will stay active through the night affecting any pest insects that come into contact with the residue.

Next day it will become inactive within 2 hours of direct sunlight.

You can also use Wallys Super Pyrethrum at 2.5ml per litre for a spray under eaves for spider or indoors for flies etc.

Contains: 28g/litre pyrethrins in the form of an oil in water emulsion

A 1ml pipet is supplied in addition to the measure which is on the side of the Bottle.

Note the container has 100mils which makes up 200 litres of normal garden spray strength.

If not all the made up spray is used, then place the sprayer in a dark cupboard to keep it ready for future use.

The next step in pest control is to hide your plants so the pests dont know that they are there.

Of course you cant lift the plants and hide them some where but seeing many pests find their host plants by the smell of them, then we can disguise the plant’s smell by an over riding stronger smell.

Wallys Neem Tree Granules are perfect for this and even I have been surprised by the many comments

from Landscapers and gardeners about how their pest problems have reduced by simply scattering Wallys Neem Tree Granules over the soil near plants, shrubs and even trees.

Ideal in a glasshouse to stop whitefly from smelling your tomato plants.

Placed under your citrus trees and Rhododendrons it will not only disguise the smell of the plants but also clean up any pests in the canopy. Repeat another application 3 months later.

On fruit trees that maybe attacked by either Codlin Moth or Guava Moth I suggest to also make some little bags out of old curtain netting, fill with the Neem Granules and hang in the tree at the four cardinal points about your height, high.

Moths flying around at night will not be able to smell the fruit so easily and so fly on by not knowing there is a ideal place to lay their eggs.

Another excellent control is a lure and trap which can be a from a color or a smell.

Wallys Sticky Yellow White Fly traps are ideal for both inside a glasshouse and outside hanging by plants such as tomatoes.

It always amazes me how many small adult pests are caught on these yellow sticky pads.

That in its self stops hundreds of eggs being laid and the resulting damage to your plants.

Then there is also another way to control moth problem by which you set up a moth lure to attract them and kill them.

Take one litre of hot water add a 100 grams of sugar, one teaspoon of marmite, half a tablespoon of Cloudy Ammonia and half a tablespoon of Vanilla:

Mix well and divide the mix between two plastic milk or soft drink bottles. (500 mils approx each)

Punch or drill some holes (big enough to allow a moth in) in the side of the bottles just above the level of the mix. Place on a stand about a couple of metres away from the tree. At about waist height like on a small folding table.

When a number of moths are caught dispose of them and make up a new solution.

Ideal for both codlin and guava moths.

Then we can have control of the psyllid pest which effects and destroys our tomatoes, potatoes and tamarillos and to a lessor extent, capsicums, chilies, peppino and okra.

If you had psyllid problems on your tomatoes last season this is what you do.

When you plant your tomato

seedling water it in with a solution of Wallys Silicon and Boron Soil Drench, used at 10ml per litre of water apply about a 150mls of the solution into the soil to water the seedling in. You will repeat this again two weeks later.

This gets the silicon into the plant through the roots and the plant takes it up readily because of the boron.

You then mix Wally Silicon Cell Strengthener Spray used at 5ml per litre of non-chlorinated water and Mixed with Wallys Silicon Super Spreader used at just 1mil per 5 litres of non chlorinated water.

(Comes a 100ml bottle makes 500 litres of spray, use the 1ml Transfer Pipet supplied to measure)

Mix these two products into a one litre Trigger sprayer which will be 5mils of Wally Silicon Cell Strengthener Spray with quarter a mil of Silicon Super Spreader which drives the spray into the tomato plant. Spray the young plants each week till about a metre tall.

The spray keeps ok so just place out of direct sunlight to use again next time, after giving the contents a shake.

Once a metre tall spray 2 weekly and then when you reach the stage when there is a good fruit set spray once a month for any new growth.

Done correctly you will wipe out all the psyllids in your back yard or glasshouse and be free of the pests next season until they find their way back from the neighborhood.

Remember that a lot of pests are brought home on plants obtained from elsewhere including places you purchased from.

Root mealy bug is a curse insect as is root nematodes both suck goodness out of the roots of plants they are feeding on. On container plants and out doors they can be treated with Wallys Neem Tree Powder sprinkle a little on to the potting mix then cover with a little more potting mix

On lawns you can do the same but in gardens where the pests are just use Wallys Neem Tree Granules. Often gardeners are surprised at how good the treated plants are after a few weeks of application.

Thats because they dont have the pests sucking out their goodness anymore.

Here is to a reduced pest problem this season.

Phone 0800 466464

Garden Pages and News at www. gardenews.co.nz

Shar Pei pages at www.sharpei. co.nz

Mail products at www.0800466464.co.nz

Bowling club celebrates 50 years

By Frank Neill

The Wainuiomata Bowling Club will celebrate its 50th Jubilee during Labour weekend, 21 to 23 October.

The weekend will begin with a “meet and greet” at the club, 1 Moohan Street, at 5pm on Friday 21 October, followed by finger food and a happy hour.

The club’s President, Richard Morgan, will give a welcome speech, followed by a speech from founding member Betty Wakefield.

A drawn fours gala will begin at 9:30am on Saturday 22 October.

Lower Hutt Mayor Campbell Barry and Wellington Bowls Association member Dayle Jackson will both speak, starting at 5pm on the Saturday, followed by a buffet meal.

The evening’s entertainment from 7 to 11pm will feature live music from covers band Tu Meke.

Following a drawn triples gala, starting at 9:30am on the Sunday, there will be a barbecue dinner

at 4:15pm, with live music from the band Deux Voix from 4:30 to 5:30pm.

A prize giving and closing speeches will round off the Jubilee celebrations, starting at 5:30pm on 23 October.

The Wainuiomata Bowling Club opened on 14 October 1972.

It was founded through persistent conversations about starting a bowling club between the late Louise Bilderbeck and Jack Vaughan in 1965.

Several meetings were held over the next 12 months, with the highest number of interested people in attendance being 12.

A meeting on 29 June 1967 was attended by 20 people, enough to form the first committee where their first task was to bring more interested people to the next meeting.

The club started with humble beginnings and a focus on raising finance to cover costs. The club was indebted to the generosity and efforts of Louise

Bilderbeck for providing finance to build the club rooms.

The club became very successful, from having members who had no outdoor bowls experience and within a matter of a few years both sections, female and male, were winning centre titles and Gold Stars, and had players selected to represent Wellington.

In 1997 the female and male bowlers amalgamated and the club room extension was completed, making it one of the best facilities in Wainuiomata.

Membership numbers dropped considerably from the turn of the century, mainly with the changes in demographics of the community and busy families working more and spending less time at the club.

In 2020 playing numbers started to grow again, however. The club now has 60 playing members in total, many who are in their first few years of bowling, which is bringing new life back into the club.

The Wainuiomata Bowling Club’s first President, Jack Vaughan, sends down the first bowl when the club opened 50 years ago.

Photo: Wainuiomata Bowling Club archives

Jake Whitaker wins again

sketchy downhills and river and creek sections that tested us all day.

With two wins from two starts, Wainuiomata’s Jake Whitaker is now well on track to win this year’s New Zealand Extreme Off-Road Championship series.

The multi-talented Whitaker seemed untroubled as he won the day at the second of four rounds in this Yamaha-sponsored series near Whangamata on 25 September, the only rider to complete four laps in the tough, nearly five hour, event.

Whitaker (KTM 300 EXC) easily outshone the rest of the country’s elite dirt bikers, using the special balancing and traction-control skills he’d acquired over previous years when he rode his way to a record eight national trial championship titles.

New Plymouth’s Tony Parker (Husqvarna TE300) was runner up on 25 September, while Aucklander Tausten Gibbs (Husqvarna TE300) claimed the third podium spot in the Elite Gold grade.

“It was a big day on a very demanding track,” Jake said following the race.

“It featured some good, tough hill climbs,

“I got a great start and headed into the first muddy section with a clear track ahead of me.

“Tony Parker caught up to me and pushed me pretty hard for the first couple of laps, until I managed to break away and pull a good lead to secure the win.

“I want to say a massive thanks to the Thames Valley Motorcycle Club for hosting this great event. It was run really well and the track was awesome,” Jake said.

With two rounds remaining to decide where the crown sits this season, the competition has reached the halfway stage and Whitaker’s rivals must be scratching their heads for ideas to beat this man.

Parker was also runner up to Whitaker at round one of the series and so he will be determined to put a stop to Whitaker’s winning ways at the two rounds that now follow.

Whitaker previously won this series in 2019, and again last year, and if that didn’t already make him one of the favourites to win it again, surely his back-to-back wins so far this season will have earned him that tag again.

Photo: Jane Whitaker.

Public

With Jacob

Roger Federer says goodbye

All good things must come to an end and that’s the case with the career of Swiss tennis ace, Roger Federer.

The 41-year-old called time on his illustrious career on Friday after appearing in a Laver Cup doubles match with his friend and greatest foe on the court, Rafael Nadal.

An emotional Federer, forever known for his calm, composed and elegant nature on the court even had some of modern tennis’ best players welling up as he bid farewell to the sport.

It speaks volumes to the type of people Federer and Nadal are that

they can be embroiled in the biggest tennis rivalry of the past two decades on the court, and such good friends off it.

Of their 40 matches, 20 were on hard court, 16 on clay, and 4 on grass. Nadal leads on clay (14–2) and outdoor hard court (8–6), while Federer leads on grass (3–1) and indoor hard court (5–1).

A total of 14 matches were in majors with Nadal leading 10–4.

[2][3] Nadal leads 6–0 at the French Open and 3–1 at the Australian Open, while Federer leads 3–1 at Wimbledon. On several occasions, they were a match away from meet-

New head wrestling coach

By Frank Neill

Wainuiomata professional wrestler Paul Sayers is the new head coach for the Valley Pro Wrestling Academy in Lower Hutt.

Now in his 16th year as a professional wrestler, Mr Sayers is a former New Zealand light heavyweight champion and New Zealand tag team champion.

“I have wrestled all around the world,” Mr Sayers told the Wainuiomata News.

That includes wrestling in Mexico, Portugal, Australia, Ireland, Wales and the United Kingdom. He was, in fact, the first New Zealand wrestler to compete in Portugal.

Although he recently shifted from Wainuiomata to Petone

“Wainuiomata is always home. My

family is there and have been for about four generations.”

He also comes over the hill to Wainuiomata on numerous occasions to visit family.

“Wainuiomata is 110% my home,” he says.

Mr Sayers started wrestling when he was 13 years old.

At the time he was a student at Wainuiomata High School, and he wrestled for about three years – all for He Toa Sports – before leaving school.

Mr Sayers’ coaching role is voluntary. His job is Operations Manager for the basketball team Wellington Saints.

“I’ve been holding seminars and taking training around New Zealand for five or six years now,” he says.

The reason he has taken up the

ing at the US Open, but were denied each time.

Much like in boxing, styles make good rivalries.

Federer was visually appealing on court, effortless to watch, with all the shots and a level of precision more accustomed to a surgeon than a tennis player.

Nadal is known for his scrappy, never say die attitude.

He would run himself into the ground chasing points and that stamina served him well on the slower clay courts of Europe.

From a personal standpoint, I have always favoured sportsmen

and women of substance rather than flair.

I preferred Pete Sampras over Andre Agaasi, Andrew Mehrtens over Carlos Spencer, Kane Williamson over Ross Taylor.

Federer has been the reason I have watched tennis for the past two decades.

He has proven you can be arguably the greatest player ever in your chosen sport and remain a nice guy, free of controversy and ridicule.

Ultimately, Father Time has caught up to Federer as his body failed to handle the physical output needed as he aged into his late 30s.

Federer’s last grand slam at the Australian Open in 2018 felt like the final great chapter in a legendary career, and so it proved to be for a man who once spent 237 consecutive weeks at No 1 in the world rankings.

Federer, Nadal and Novak Djokovic have pushed mens tennis to new heights over the past 20 years. Without each other, one of them may have 35 to 40 grand slams to their name but without them this golden era simply would not have existed.

Every sports fan is richer for having witnessed it.

role of head coach at the Valley Pro Wrestling Academy is “to give back to the next generation of those who want to give professional wrestling a go and to give Wainuiomata people the opportunity.

“If people want to give wrestling a go they can come to the wrestling academy at Unit 7, 101 Gracefield Road, from 6 to 7:30pm on Tuesdays.”

Training is available for people

aged 15 years and older.

People wanting more information can also contact Mr Sayers at 027 654 3146, or visit the Valley Professional Wrestling Academy Facebook page.

Paul Sayers just after entering the wrestling ring at The Electric Ballroom in Camden, London. Photo: Supplied.