Sport

Massey whānau represented at 2022 Winter Olympics

Thu, 03 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +1200

Massey whānau represented at 2022 Winter Olympics

Ben Barclay competed in the men's freeski slopestyle and big air.

Chloe McMillan.

Six freeskiing and snowboarding athletes with Massey connections recently took part in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

Bachelor of Business student Chloe McMillan, Ngāpuhi, represented New Zealand in the women’s freeski halfpipe. She says the atmosphere was amazing despite daily COVID-19 testing.

“It was a dream come true and being able to be one of a select group of Kiwis who gets to wear the fern as an Olympian was a feeling I'll never forget.”

The ability to study as a distance student was exactly what Chloe needed as a full-time athlete.

“From what I had heard, Massey had the best distance programmes in the country. Flexibility and help for someone who is also training in high performance sport was the top of the priority list for me, and before even starting my first ever semester I have had bucketloads of help.

“I got onto things prior to the Games, met my lecturers via email, figured out my timetables, ordered stationery and got all the e-books I needed. The day I got off the plane from China I went straight into studying, so being ultra-prepared was a must. I have also had a tonne of support from Tamara from the Academy of Sport, who has made doing all of the above a breeze.”

Chloe says her family have been her biggest supporters throughout her Olympics journey.

“Being a completely self-funded athlete, I wouldn't have been able to make my dreams possible without them.”

Freeskier Ben Barclay is studying towards a Bachelor of Business and is a 2022 Massey University Elite Sports Bursary recipient. He says being in the finals during his first Olympic Games was incredible.

“The Olympic Games was like nothing else I’ve experienced before. It wasn’t until we walked into the opening ceremony that I realised the true magnitude of the event and how much it can bring people together. Being in the start-gate with so many of my childhood idols and wearing the Olympic rings on my bib was something I will cherish forever.”

Ben gives credits to Massey for giving him the support and flexibility to juggle both study and a professional sport career.

“I just fit study in whenever I have free time, whether that’s in the afternoons post-training, or on a plane to the next event. It means you have to make a conscious effort to manage your time to fit in both aspects of student-athlete life.

“Massey has been great in helping me keep sport a top priority while still planning for a future post-sport. Their flexibility has allowed me to focus solely on skiing when I need to and then shift to focusing on study.

“I have a very long-list of people I would like to thank. Without so many wonderful and supportive people in my life I would not be able to achieve these childhood dreams.”

Bachelor of Science student Cool Wakushima also represented New Zealand in the women’s snowboard slopestyle.

High Performance Coordinator Tamara Scott-Valath says it was amazing watching Massey student-athletes compete at such a large international event.

“I’m fully aware of the efforts they put in to balancing their academic study and their sporting commitments, and seeing them achieve a major life-time goal of competing at an Olympic Games shows just how dedicated they are.

“It’s really nice to know that Massey has been able to play a part in ensuring these athletes are able to work towards a qualification while still competing at the highest level in their sport.”

Massey University also wishes past student Corey Peters who is heading off to the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing all the best.

Work-Integrated Learning practicum enhances employability for sport and exercise graduates

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +1200

Joel Gordon, Keegan Bremner, and Sarah Munn.

Sport and exercise graduates Joel Gordon, Keegan Bremner, and Sarah Munn have been offered employment at Sport Manawatū after successfully completing their Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) practicum.

Sport practicum coordinator Professor Andy Martin says that for more than 30 years WIL experiences have enhanced many students’ employability in the sport and exercise industry and provided a graduate point of difference that employers value.

"The sport and exercise practicum provides students with a great opportunity to enhance their networks, gain significant industry experience, and integrate theory to practice in areas such as sport development, sport event management, sport coaching and sport coordination, as well as exercise prescription and athlete conditioning."

Keegan Bremner has been appointed as the Community Partnership Advisor for Active Recreation. His sport practicum experience was as the volunteer coordinator for the 2020 Under 18 Men’s Softball World Cup held in Palmerston North.

"It was an unreal experience in a role that I never thought would be given to me at the start of my practicum. I was able to see what goes into creating such a positive experience for the consumers of this global event. My confidence, communication and human resource management skills have really grown since."

Sarah Munn’s new role is as the Green Prescription Advisor. She says it was a great experience meeting staff from Sport Manawatū and learning from them.

"I learnt a lot of practical skills being in a gym environment and created great relationships with those attending the programme. My public speaking confidence grew hugely due to the amount of interactions I had with my volunteers and with teams and their supporters."

Joel Gordon is now employed as a Healthy Active Learning Advisor after completing his masters degree in sport and exercise, which focused on developing game-based learning activities for generalist teachers in primary schools.

Exercise practicum coordinator Dr Lynette Hodges also noted that a number of students have been employed by other organisations such as Manawatū Golf Club, Hockey Manawatū and local gyms.

Massey’s Bachelor of Sport and Exercise, offered internally on the Manawatū campus and by distance, prepares students for work in the varied and growing areas of sport and exercise. The practicum provides important industry partnerships, enabling students and staff to connect, collaborate and contribute to their community of practice.

The extensive sport and recreation facilities on the Manawatū campus provide an attractive point of difference through student and staff participation and community engagement initiatives. The Massey Academy of Sport also provides attractive opportunities for high-performance student-athletes.

Coaching scholarship provides connections for High Performance Coordinator

Mon, 06 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +1200

Danielle Jones playing for Auckland as part of the National Hockey League.

High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ) has awarded Massey’s High Performance Coordinator Danielle Jones a place in Te Hāpaitanga coaching initiative.

Te Hāpaitanga is one of a number of HPSNZ initiatives in their ongoing commitment to Women in High Performance Sport. It is a holistic coaching development initiative designed to enable more females to pursue and maintain a career in high performance coaching in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Over 18 months, Te Hāpaitanga will provide the 16 coaches in the programme a range of opportunities that test and develop their coaching capability and allow them to develop new skills to navigate a complex and challenging career in high performance sport.

Ms Jones has been a High Performance Coordinator on Auckland’s campus since April 2019. She’s a long time hockey player, having played in all the representative age group teams for Auckland and New Zealand.

“I made my debut in 2011 when I was 19. I was in and around the national squad for six years and then had a major back injury that left me with a very tough decision to retire earlier than planned. But it led me down the road I am today. I am passionate about giving back to the sport and providing opportunities for people to play and support the small group of players wanting to take their playing ambitions to the next level,” she says.

Te Hāpaitanga connects emerging female coaches with their peers and established female high performance coaches, providing mentoring and inspiration.

The scholarship is a great opportunity to continue to develop learning as a coach, she says.

“This will really help me take my coaching to the next level. I love what I do now, but I am always interested in learning and developing more in my coaching. The other great thing is getting to connect with other like-minded women that you don’t get to meet every day.

“Te Hāpaitanga provides a connection between HPSNZ, Hockey New Zealand and me, where I get to learn and challenge myself in the areas that are going to most likely support my growth, and in time gain more permanent coaching opportunities within Hockey New Zealand. The scholarship is there to support me in any way possible to help me reach my goal of being a successful high performance coach.”

Ms Jones says she loves her role at Massey and the support she can give to athletes off the field.

“The coaching I do also helps me to support the athletes at Massey better as it keeps me connected to the high performance world and where that environment is at for athletes in New Zealand.”

Sport Advancement Manager Jacob Oram says, “It’s great to see Danielle get this opportunity to upskill and develop her coaching as there is some definite crossover between her Massey responsibilities and what she’ll gain from this external programme.

“While it’s awesome to see Danielle grow, I have no doubt that it’d also provide benefit to the high performing athletes that she interacts with here at Massey.”

Blues Awards winners zoom in to take trophies

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +1200

After the cancellation of last year’s Blues Awards due to COVID-19, Massey University celebrated the 2020 and 2021 finalists and winners online.

New Zealand’s most successful Olympian and Canoe Sprint champion Lisa Carrington has been named the inaugural winner of the Massey University Blues Sports Awards Supreme Award for 2021 and received the Distance Sportswoman of the Year award.

Lisa sent in a video message to accept her award. “Thank you Massey for this huge honour. I know there are so many amazing sportspeople, Olympians that go to Massey and you make it possible for people like me to continue to study, I mean I’ve been at Massey since 2008 and continued to slowly get through my degree and then into my postgraduate study. So, thank you so much for the acknowledgement and congratulations to all the other nominees as well. Thank you.”

She joined an impressive line-up of Massey students who received Blues Awards at a virtual event last night, including Rugby and Rugby Sevens Olympic medallist Stacey Fluhler, Silver Fern Maia Wilson, and gold medal-winning cyclist Regan Gough.

Rugby Sevens gold medallist Tyla Nathan-Wong was named 2020 Distance Sportswoman of the Year, and also responded to winning the award with a video message.

“I just want to firstly say, awesome work by Massey for holding these awards tonight, it’s amazing to be able to acknowledge all the incredible student-athletes that are out there. I’m extremely honoured to be named the 2020 Distance Sportswoman of the Year so thank you so much for this acknowledgment. I wish nothing but the best to all those sporting athletes out there with your studies and your future sporting endeavours.”

After the cancellation of last year’s Blues Awards due to COVID-19, Massey University celebrated the 2020 and 2021 finalists and winners online. Across the two years, 222 student athletes received Blues Awards, with 312 trophies and pins being awarded. There were 113 trophies for first time recipients and 199 pins for athletes getting an award for a second or subsequent year. Six athletes received awards for their performance competing in two different sports.

Rower Tom Mackintosh was awarded 2021 Distance Sportsman of the Year, alongside fellow rower Phillip Wilson. Tom, via video message, says he has loved his time studying with Massey.

“Firstly, congratulations to all the other nominees. I spent a bit of time with some of you over in Tokyo and you’re all exceptional athletes. Throughout my tertiary career I’ve studied at the University of Canterbury and Massey University all while being involved in high performance sport and I can hands down say that Massey University is one of a kind when it comes to its distance study. I’ve loved every minute of it.”

2021 MASSEY UNIVERSITY BLUES SPORTS AWARDS MAJOR AWARD WINNERS

Massey University Campus Sportswoman of the Year
Stacey Fluhler – Rugby and Rugby Sevens

Massey University Campus Sportsman of the Year
Edward Lau - Badminton

Massey University Distance Sportswoman of the Year
Lisa Carrington – Canoe Sprint

Massey University Distance Sportsman of the Year
Tom Mackintosh – Rowing
Phillip Wilson – Rowing

Massey University Supreme Award
Lisa Carrington – Canoe Sprint

2020 MASSEY UNIVERSITY BLUES SPORTS AWARDS MAJOR AWARD WINNERS

Massey University Manawatū Campus Sportswoman of the Year
Maia Wilson – Netball

Massey University Manawatū Campus Sportsman of the Year
Ray Toole – Cricket

Massey University Distance Sportswoman of the Year
Tyla Nathan-Wong – Rugby Sevens

Massey University Distance Sportsman of the Year
Regan Gough – Cycling

Massey University Auckland Campus Sportswoman of the Year
Pia Tapsell – Rugby

Massey University Auckland Campus Sportsman of the Year
Edward Lau – Badminton

2021 MASSEY UNIVERSITY BLUES SPORTS AWARDS RECIPIENTS:

Artistic Roller Skating: Aspen Fell, Phoenix Reid; Athletics: Hamish Gill, Georgia Hulls, Zoe Hobbs, Liam Lamb, Sam Mackinder, Alice Taylor; Badminton: Edward Lau, Catelyn Rozario; Basketball: Ella Fotu; Canoe Polo: Liam Bowden, Casey Hales, Matthew Oke, Georgia Wheeler; Canoe Slalom: Finn Butcher; Canoe Sprint: Lisa Carrington, Alicia Hoskin; Climbing: Erica Gatland; Cricket Bella Armstrong, Georgia Atkinson, Ma'ara Ave, Jack Boyle, Sarah Calkin, Dane Cleaver, Lauren Down, Ben Frewin, Mikaela Greig, Jayden Lennox, William O'Donnell, Matt Quinn, Hannah Rowe, Sam Sherriff, Gemma Sims, Nathan Smith; Cycling: Rushlee Buchanan, Emma Cumming, Matias Fitzwater, Regan Gough, Ella Harris, Mikayla Harvey, Nicholas Kergozou, Kirstie Klingenberg, Stella Nightingale, James Oram, Lizzie Stannard; Dance: Katie Richards; Equestrian: Ike Baker, Meg Rogers, Jenna-Lee Rose, Brigitte Smith; Football: Claudia Bunge, Louis Fenton, Meikayla Moore, Tim Payne, Emma Rolston, Paige Satchell, Ben Waine; Golf: Juliana Hung, Kazuma Kobori; Hockey: Robbie Capizzi, Kelly Carline, Kaitlin Cotter, Katie Doar, Madison Doar, Connor Greentree, Sam Garrett Lane, Clodagh McCullough, Aimee Mitchell, Olivia Shannon, Louisa Tuilotolava, Charl Ulrich, Mac Wilcox, Nic Woods; Ice Hockey: Hannah Cross; Judo: Tara Beale, Justine Bishop, Finn Brown; Karate: Simon Sung; Mountain Biking: Caleb Bottcher; Netball: Erikana Pedersen, Maia Wilson; Olympic Weightlifting: Samantha Hansen; Para Cycling: Emma Foy; Powerlifting: Evie Corrigan; Rowing: Brooke Donoghue, Sophie Egnot-Johnson, Kathryn Glen, Kerri Gowler, Kate Haines, Brooke Kilmister, Luca Kirwin, Tom Mackintosh, Charlotte Spence, Davina Waddy, Flynn Watson, Phillip Wilson; Rugby: Lucy Brown, Michael Curry, Jessica Fagan-Pease, Stacey Fluhler, Joseph Gavigan, Julian Goerke, Simon Hickey, Ashleigh Knight, Paige Lush, Nick Mayhew, Brad McNaughten, Lachlan Munro, Caterina Poletti, Ben Strang, Pia Tapsell, Flynn Thomas, James Tucker, Annemieke Van Vliet, Te Rangatira Waitokia, Taylor Waterson, Sydnee Wilkins, Alesha Williams; Rugby Sevens: Stacey Fluhler, Tyla Nathan-Wong, Sydnee Wilkins; Skiing: Ben Barclay; Snowboarding: James Thompson; Squash: Anna Moselen; Surf Life Saving: Christopher Dawson, Olivia Eaton, Sasha Reid, Zac Reid, Cory Taylor; Swimming: Kirsten Fisher-Marsters, Hazel Ouwehand, Callum Prime, Zac Reid; Target Shooting: Jessica Burgess-Smith; Touch: Kiera Fisher, Potene Rolls-Paewai, Zoe Sosich; Triathlon: Adam Martin, Nicole van der Kaay; Volleyball: Brittany Allison-Carnie, Caitlin Struder, Renei Ursem; Waterpolo: Brandon Matthews; Yachting: George Gautrey, Courtney Reynolds-Smith; Sporting Excellence Award (Coaching) – Triathlon: Cameron Lamont.

2020 MASSEY UNIVERSITY BLUES SPORTS AWARDS RECIPIENTS:

Aerobic Gymnastics: Hannah Wilton; Archery: Emma Argyle, Isabella Wassilieff; Artistic Roller Skating: Phoenix Reid; Athletics: Georgia Hulls, Alexandra Hyland, Liam Lamb, Kara Macdermid, Olivia McTaggart, Louis Northcott; Badminton: Edward Lau, Catelyn Rozario; Canoe Polo Liam Bowden, Casey Hales, Matthew Oke, Liam Ward, Georgia Wheeler; Canoe Slalom: Finn Butcher; Canoe Sprint: Aimee Fisher, Britney Ford, Alicia Hoskin, Elise Legarth, Tim Waller, Danielle Watson; Climbing: Erica Gatland; Cricket Finn Allen, Georgia Atkinson, Ma'ara Ave, Jack Boyle, Micah Conroy, Lauren Down, Mikaela Greig, Amelia Kerr, Jayden Lennox, Ben Lister, Robbie O'Donnell, William O'Donnell, Michael Rae, Sam Sherriff, Gemma Sims, Nathan Smith, Ray Toole; Cycling: Grace Anderson, Libby Arbuckle, Matias Fitzwater, Regan Gough, Ella Harris, Jessie Hodges, Nicholas Kergozou, Luke Mudgway, Stella Nightingale, James Oram, Emily Shearman, Lizzie Stannard; Equestrian: Ike Baker, Ella Miranda, Alexandra Mitchell, Elise Power, Bailey Rutter, Brigitte Smith; Football: Claudia Bunge, Callan Elliott, Stefan Marinovic, Aneka Mittendorff, Meikayla Moore, Tim Payne, Emma Rolston, Paige Satchell, Shea Stapleton; Futsal: Josh Cremen, Ben Ravenwood, Megan Willis; Golf: Juliana Hung, Kazuma Kobori; Handball: Hanne De Ridder, Nore De Ridder, Lottie Jordan; Hockey: Robbie Capizzi, Kelly Carline, Robert Creffier, Saffron Cribb, Madison Doar, Benji Edwards, Connor Greentree, Ella Gunson, Sam Garrett Lane, Clodagh McCullough, Mitchell Ottow, Kirsten-Leigh Pearce, Hayden Phillips, Megan Phillips, Amy Robinson, Kelsey Smith, Blair Tarrant, Louisa Tuilotolava, Charl Ulrich, Mac Wilcox, Nic Woods; Ice Figure Skating: Brooke Tamepo; Ice Hockey: Hannah Cross, Ashley Richmond; Indoor Football: Vince McCluskey; Judo: Finn Brown; Mountain Biking: Caleb Bottcher; Netball: Maia Wilson; Olympic Weightlifting: Samantha Hansen; Para Swimming: Chris Arbuthnott; Powerlifting: Amy-Lee Owen; Rowing: Brooke Donogue, Kerri Gowler, Kate Haines, Grace Holland, Luca Kirwan, Tom Mackintosh, Zoe McBride, Grace Prendergast, Harrison Somerville, Charlotte Spence, Giacomo Thomas, Davina Waddy; Rugby: Kaitlin Bates, Simon Hickey, Rhys Marshall, Brad McNaughten, Lachlan Munro, Ben Strang, Pia Tapsell, Te Rangatira Waitokia, Sydnee Wilkins, Alesha Williams; Rugby Sevens: Kaitlin Bates, Tyla Nathan-Wong, Sydnee Wilkins, Alesha Williams; Skiing: Ben Barclay, Beau-James Wells; Surf Life Saving: Olivia Eaton, Britney Ford, Cory Taylor; Swimming: Joshua McCormack-Goeth, Hazel Ouwehand, Callum Prime, Zac Reid; Target Shooting: Jessica Burgess-Smith, Meaghan Reesby; Tennis: Marcus Daniell, Connor Jackson Heap; Touch: Alyssa Mataiti, Potene Rolls-Paewai; Triathlon: Sam Bentham, Cameron Lamont, Raquel Lozano, Adam Martin, David Martin, Heather Neill, Nicole van der Kaay, Liam Ward; Ultimate Disc: Megan Edwards, Bianca Mercer; Volleyball: Brittany Allison-Carnie, Hugh Hawkey, Natalya Taylor; Waterpolo: Brandon Matthews; Yachting: Olivia Mackay, Courtney Reynolds-Smith; Sporting Excellence Award (Coaching) – Triathlon: Cameron Lamont.

Blues Awards go virtual

Wed, 06 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +1200

Blues Award winners at the 2019 event in Manawatū.

After the cancellation of last year’s Blues Awards due to Covid-19, Massey University is celebrating the 2020 and 2021 finalists and winners online this year.

Next week, the virtual event will see more than 200 athletes receive awards, and the announcement of the Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year awards. Blues are awarded to high-achieving students who have also excelled in their sporting codes, recognising students from all campuses, as well as those studying via distance. This year will also see the introduction of a Supreme Award – a new award presented to one of the major award winners on the night.

Across the two years, 222 student athletes will receive Blues, with 312 trophies and pins being awarded consisting of 113 trophies for first time Blues recipients, and 199 pins for athletes getting an award for a second or subsequent year. Six athletes are receiving Blues for their performance competing in two different sports.

The guest speakers this year are Blackstick and Bachelor of Business student Nic Woods and Football Fern and Bachelor of Sport Management student Paige Satchell. Nic attended both the Rio and Tokyo Olympic Games and is currently overseas on a hockey contract, and doing some work experience to support the completion of his degree. Paige attended the Tokyo Olympics and has a professional contract with Canberra United to play in the W-League in Australia.

Massey University High Performance Coordinator Tamara Scott-Valath says it’s really special to be able to recognise the achievements of the student athletes, after such a tumultuous time.

“This year is obviously different with the pandemic affecting both domestic and international sporting competitions, limiting opportunities for athletes to travel and compete at a high level within the relevant period for our Blues Sports Awards.

“Last year we made the decision to cancel our awards ceremonies due to the uncertainty of the pandemic, so it’s really exciting to have a new virtual format this year to be able to celebrate all our recipients and major award winners. A major added benefit with the online event is that we’re able to include all our campuses in one event, and our recipients who are based in other areas of New Zealand or overseas that can’t usually attend a function on campus, can join in regardless of their location.”

Ms Scott-Valath says the fact the students are able to perform at such a high level in their sport, while successfully completing their studies, is an incredible accomplishment.

“Each year as we undertake the nomination and selection process for our Blues recipients, I’m reminded just how amazing these individuals are – reading through their sporting achievements and seeing their academic achievements shows just how determined and dedicated they all are to achieving their goals.”

Event details

Date: Wednesday, October 13

Time: 6.00pm

Live stream online – to attend the live stream please register here.

2021 Finalists

Distance Sportsman of the Year

Regan Gough – Cycling

Tom McKintosh – Rowing

Zac Reid – Swimming and Surf Life Saving

Ben Waine – Football

Phillip Wilson – Rowing

Distance Sportswoman of the Year

Justine Bishop – Judo

Lisa Carrington – Canoe Sprint

Brooke Donoghue – Rowing

Kerri Gowler – Rowing

Campus Sportsman of the Year

Joseph Gavigan – Rugby

Connor Greentree – Hockey

Edward Lau – Badminton

Brad McNaughton – Rugby

Ben Strang – Rugby

James Thompson – Snowboarding

Charl Ulrich – Hockey

Campus Sportswoman of the Year

Kirsten Fisher-Marsters – Swimming

Stacey Fluhler – Rugby Sevens and Rugby

Erica Gatland – Rock Climbing

Zoe Hobbs – Athletics

Phoenix Reid – Artistic Roller Skating

2020 Finalists

Distance Sportsman of the Year

Finn Butcher – Canoe Slalom

Marcus Daniell – Tennis

Regan Gough – Cycling

Stefan Marinovic – Football

Rhys Marshall – Rugby

Nic Woods – Hockey

Distance Sportswoman of the Year

Brooke Donoghue – Rowing

Kerri Gowler – Rowing

Jessie Hodges – Cycling

Juliana Hung – Golf

Amelia Kerr – Cricket

Olivia McTaggart – Athletics

Meikayla Moore – Football

Tyla Nathan-Wong – Rugby Sevens

Grace Prendergast - Rowing

Manawatū Campus Sportsman of the Year

Sam Bentham – Triathlon

Finn Brown – Judo

Ray Toole – Cricket

Te Rangatira Waitokia – Rugby

Manawatū Campus Sportswoman of the Year

Jessica Burgess-Smith – Target Shooting

Meaghan Reesby – Target Shooting

Maia Wilson – Netball

Auckland Campus Sportsman of the Year

Chris Arbuthnott – Para-swimming

Connor Greentree – Hockey

Edward Lau – Badminton

Brandon Matthews – Waterpolo

Charl Ulrich – Hockey

Auckland Campus Sportswoman of the Year

Lauren Down – Cricket

Brooke Tamepo – Ice Figure Skating

Pia Tapsell – Rugby

Hannah Wilton – Aerobic Gymnastics

First Tongan Black Stick and Massey graduate - Lulu Tuilotolava

Thu, 09 Sep 2021 00:00:00 +1200

NZ Black Sticks Lulu Tuilotolava.

As part of celebrating Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e lea faka-Tonga - Tonga Language Week, we interviewed recent graduate and former NZ Black Stick, Louisa (Lulu) Tuilotolava.

Lulu began studying at Massey in 2017 and graduated with a degree in communications in May. While studying, she was selected to be a part of the NZ Black Sticks (NZ's National Women’s Hockey Team). Lulu made her debut at the age of 21 and was the first Tongan player to make the squad.

“Being selected for the Black Sticks was one of the best moments I have ever experienced. I played for the team until the end of 2019. I’m now part of the Performance Network team, which is a tier below the Black Sticks, but I’m working hard to get back into the squad,” Lulu says.

Lulu juggled studying by distance while training and playing professional hockey.

“Studying at Massey was an awesome experience. I was fortunate enough to be in contact with the Pasifika staff support group, where I was able receive help or ask questions about certain things going on. Playing and studying was a struggle at times, and finding motivation was particularly hard when I would come back from trainings and then had to focus on assignments. It was worth it in the end.”

Lulu celebrating graduation with her family and friends

She says being part of the Black Sticks involved a lot of hard work and training.

“When I was part of the squad, I would often train six times a week. This involved hockey training, conditioning, and gym. I currently do strength and mobility five times a week and hockey training three to four times, with a game or two in the weekend.”

Lulu started playing hockey at five years old for Southern Districts in Papatoetoe and says she has made some great memories playing hockey and travelling around the world.

“One of my most memorable moments playing hockey was when my school team won our tournament in Blenheim. I was in year 11 and just playing with my teammates was so special. My most recent memorable moment was when I was selected to play at the 2018 Hockey World Cup in London. I only had six caps to my name and to be named in the squad was like nothing else.”

“I have been fortunate enough to travel while playing hockey. I went over to Australia a couple of times for hockey exchanges. In 2018 I went to Germany to compete in a pre-world cup tournament, which was an amazing experience playing against Argentina, Germany and The Netherlands. We then travelled to compete in the Hockey World Cup in London, which was phenomenal and the biggest crowd I have ever played in front of. After the world cup, I did some person travel around Europe which was another highlight.”

Since graduating, Lulu started working as a Community Connector at CLM Community Sport in Manakau.

“A big part of my job involves working with Healthy Active Learning schools to engage community groups and enhance play, sport and recreation in the area. This role is such a blessing, I have learnt a lot so far and I am grateful that I can give back to the community that I am from,” she says.

Aside from hockey and work, Lulu enjoys spending time with family and friends, going on adventures, and reading.

Her advice for young women wanting to pursue a new sport or higher education is to surround themselves with like-minded people.

“Ones that support and uplift you and your dreams and goals. It's important to have a strong support system in your corner, which is something I am thankful to have. If you are pursuing a sport or education, keep believing in yourself and always give things a go, especially the ones that may be uncomfortable or a bit challenging.”

Passion for chemical engineering, cricket and Cook Island heritage drive grad's success

Mon, 06 Sep 2021 00:00:00 +1200

“I am still in the high performance cricket set up with Central Districts cricket and managing to balance both work, study and sport.” Ma’ara juggles his busy life, all while studying for a Master in Dairy Science and Technology through Massey University, in conjunction with his new role.

Ma’ara feels a strong affinity with his
grandfather’s (pictured) work ethic.

Ma'ara at graduation earlier this year.

Ma'ara (left) and his family in Rarotonga in July 2017. From left: Ma'ara Ave
(father), Eddie Ave (brother) and Mereana Ave (sister).

Massey graduate Mea Tangi Me Ma’ara Ave (Ma’ara Ave) owes his success as a top engineering graduate, a Fonterra researcher and aspiring Black Cap in part to his heritage from a small Cook Island, Mangaia.

His grandfather, with whom he and his father share the same first name, left the southern-most island of the Cook Islands in the late 1950’s to undertake seasonal work in Tokoroa. He was in his early 20’s and couldn’t speak a word of English. He travelled back and forth over the coming years until eventually settling down south in Invercargill in the early 60’s. Here he brought up his family and spent time working stints in the freezing works, on power lines and in the aluminium smelter. Ma’ara feels a strong affinity with his grandfather’s work ethic, describing him as “very hardworking – he was paving the way for his kids and future generations.”

“Being around him was a cool experience. He always had other people’s best interests at heart and wanted to give opportunities to others,” recalls Ma’ara, whose Cook Island heritage is a big part of his life, and gives him mana he says.

Though currently immersed in high-tech developments in the dairy industry through Fonterra’s Technical Graduate Programme following completing a Bachelor of Engineering (first class honours) last year, he’s keeping his eye on another ball.

His current role fulfils his intellectual interests and strong passion for problem-solving. In Fonterra’s Graduate Technical Programme he gets the chance to contribute to making a difference in dairy manufacturing processes by “coming up with new ideas for innovation and looking at ways to do things more efficiently and sustainably.”

The opportunity has been the ideal pathway “from deep science to a broader perspective of the industry and being able to impact the way we do things,” he says.

Describing 2021 as “a whirlwind year”, he spent the first four months visiting manufacturing sites, getting experience and insights into processing milk, and the range of different products, from cheeses and butter to protein products and milk powder.

Over the winter, he and 14 other graduates in the programme attended lectures from business and dairy science experts from Massey and Fonterra. His next focus will be researching the rennet – a complex enzyme used to separate milk solids – casein process for his master’s through Fonterra’s R&D unit, which he hopes will lead to “adding value as part of a bigger project.”

Eye on the ball

A keen sportsman who was a member of Massey’s Academy of Sport, Ma’ara has aspirations to play professional cricket and one day crack the Black Caps “It’s been my dream goal growing up – I’m aiming to make big steps over the next couple years.”

Although the recent lockdown has curtailed his regular cricket training, he is staying fit by completing at home workouts and runs.

Having debuted for the Central Districts Stags at 20 in October 2018, Ma’ara has eight domestic caps to his name and relished his opportunity on the national stage. Growing up in Marlborough, he always dreamed of becoming a Black Cap but was well aware that while pursuing his passion of cricket he also had to be prepared for life afterwards.

He became a member of the Massey Academy of Sport after moving to Palmerston North in 2017, joining the United Cricket Club and making the Central Districts A side, juggling a hectic training regime while staying at the top of his game academically. Aided by Massey University Sport Advancement Manager and former Black Cap Jacob Oram, Ma’ara found training partners and coaching with the Massey Cricket Academy where student athletes meet twice a week to train together.

Sustainability lens on milky ways

Like many new graduates, Ma’ara hopes to one day work overseas and experience other cultures. During the penultimate year of his undergraduate degree, he travelled to the Netherlands, Belgium and South Korea visiting companies, universities and institutions to observe how the horticulture industry operates overseas. His focus was looking at innovative technology and market gaps to see how improvements can be made in New Zealand.

These days, sustainability in primary industries remains a strong interest – he learned a lot from the trip and is pleased to see a shift in attitudes and practices in terms of sustainability being a priority. “It’s driving people’s decisions now, which is pretty awesome.”

Moving to more sustainable primary industries, whether through reducing the use of coal in boilers or improving on-farm practices, it brings a competitive edge to the products Fonterra makes, he says.

His time at Massey as a student whilst competing in cricket helped him learn valuable time management and life balancing skills, he says. “The knowledge I gained has given me the stepping stones to succeed in industry. It was a really good grounding, and the lecturers were so supportive.”

Manawatū to Mangaia

From a chilly Manawatū winter, Ma’ara looks forward to his next trip back to his roots in Mangaia, home to around 500 people including many relatives. When his grandfather died in 2015 at the age of 77, he and his family returned him to Mangaia to be buried with other relatives at a special tanuamanga (Mangaian word for urupā) site known as Maoke.

They visited often before the COVID-19 pandemic, while extended family spread around the world keep in touch via a Facebook page. “It’s always nice to go back there and to feel at home,” says Ma’ara, who can understand some of the Cook Island Māori language spoken by his family in Mangaia thanks to learning te reo Māori at secondary school in Blenheim.

“I’m really invested in my Cook Island heritage, and I want to keep learning more about the language.”

The mental pressure faced by professional athletes

Thu, 02 Sep 2021 00:00:00 +1200

The key to competing at such an elite level, Professor Emeritus Gary Hermansson says, is the ability to keep the mind and body in alignment, which allows the athlete to stay in the present moment.

Professor Emeritus Gary Hermansson.

With our Kiwi Paralympians now on the world stage and a record medal haul at the Olympics for the New Zealand team, the mental challenges and pressures facing athletes in the current COVID-19 world has been thrown in the spotlight.

Sport psychologist Professor Emeritus Gary Hermansson understands first-hand just how unique the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics are. Awarded the New Zealand Olympic Order in 2017 for his service to the Olympic movement, he is no stranger to the pressures athletes face, but he says it is the backdrop of uncertainty behind Tokyo 2020 that has heightened the mental challenges.

“The athletes were functioning under totally unusual conditions. There had been that extra layer of stress all the way through the lead up to the Games and day-by-day at the event itself.”

Quarantine, routine health testing, bubble restrictions, and limited international competition were just the beginning.

“When you’re out there performing, the fear of letting people down is largely the fear of being rejected or abandoned.

“At the Olympics and Paralympics, athletes face that particular struggle… and then you add the other issues that can be thrown at you, like COVID-19, and that interrupts steady preparations,” he adds.

The key to competing at such an elite level, Professor Hermansson says, is the ability to keep the mind and body in alignment, which allows the athlete to stay in the present moment.

This elusive state of readiness is even harder to attain when the weight of a country’s expectations is on an athlete’s shoulders.

When there is an expectation to deliver a particular outcome, rather than giving everything they have to the present moment, their focus becomes on how to deliver the outcome instead, he adds.

“When you’re swimming, if you’re in there thinking about the Gold medal then there is a disruption between brain and body, so part of the brain is preoccupied with the future outcome and the other part is attending to the immediate present.”

Because of this, Professor Hermansson was not surprised that Olympic debutantes such as swimmer Erika Fairweather recorded a personal best outing.

“When you’re an underdog the pressure from expectations is less and you can focus more on attending to the present,” he says.

For an Olympics that has been dominated by mental health headlines, Tokyo is far from the “lonely” experience Professor Hermansson encountered at his first Commonwealth Games in Malaysia in 1998.

“When I went to sit beside athletes in the dining room, they would tense up. They would be sociable, but it was almost like ‘Let me out of here – I don’t want to be seen in the company of this psychologist because that would mean in everyone else’s eyes that I’ve got problems’”.

Over subsequent Games that he attended through to Rio 2016, Professor Hermansson says there was a growing acceptance by athletes and coaches of the significance of the mental dimension, both in terms of well-being and performance.

“Now, there is a greater preparedness from athletes to recognise their mental performance challenges and mental health concerns and to speak more openly about these, as well as reaching out for assistance from others.

“This is a positive direction that can lead to a greater resilience in handling the demands of high-performance sport, as well as the extraordinary challenges that unexpected things like COVID-19 can throw at them."

"I just love competing" - Maddi Wesche

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +1200

Congratulations to Maddi and all Massey athletes and alumni on their efforts in Tokyo. We wish them all the best as they continue their sporting journeys.

Massey University student Maddi Wesche has just returned home from the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. We caught up with her during her stay in MIQ, to hear all about her experiences in Tokyo.

Since finishing sixth in the women’s shot-put final by throwing a personal best of 18.98 metres, the New Zealand-born Sāmoan has plenty to smile about.

“I still have the biggest smile on my face whenever I think about the competition,” she says.

“My team and I have done so much planning around doing well in Tokyo and for it to actually come to fruition is still crazy to me.”

Describing her personal best efforts in both the qualifier and the final as her Tokyo highlights, the 22 year-old says her biggest takeaway from the games was realising just how much she loves competing.

“The thrill, the excitement, the nerves, butterflies and the atmosphere is just not something you can replicate anywhere else.

“To be able to be amongst the women that I’ve always seen on TV dominating women’s shot put was so surreal. That’s something I haven’t quite wrapped my head around yet.”

After a two week pre-camp in Saga, Japan, and not competing properly for 7-8 weeks before the games, Maddi credits her mindset and preparation going into the competition as one of the reasons she was so successful.

A lot of this, she says, came down to the privilege of being able to have one of her two coaches travel alongside her.

“We were out the back warming up just listening to music and laughing which I think definitely played a part in keeping me relaxed and calm.”

A fierce competitor, Maddi says it was the individual aspect of athletics that drew her in at the beginning. Now, she loves everything about it.

“The places I’ve been able to travel to, the people I’ve met along the way and the things I’ve been able to achieve due to doing shot put has been the greatest blessing.

“If I can help inspire others to find what I have in shot put, then that would be amazing.”

Focused not only on life as an Olympic athlete, Maddi also balances her time competing and training with her study towards a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Psychology. She even found herself frequently studying in Japan for an assignment that was due the day after she returned home.

“I made a plan before I went over for how I wanted to stagger my study days and allocate a time to study each day,” she says.

“I’m pretty strict on myself when it comes to study. I absolutely love everything to do with psychology so that does make it a lot easier to pick up my textbooks, anywhere in the world,” she said.

Currently finishing up the last week of lectures in MIQ, Maddi is looking forward to celebrating her success in Rarotonga where she plans to relax with family before heading into her next training block.

With 2022 consisting of the New Zealand domestic season, World Indoors, World Champs, Commonwealth Games and some potential Diamond League competitions, Maddi doesn’t plan to spend too much time away from the sport she loves.

“You can’t keep me from throwing for too long, so I‘ll be bouncing in my chair to get back to training once I’ve finished my break,” she says.

Impressive Olympic medal haul for Massey's student-athletes

Thu, 12 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +1200

Current and former students and alumni from Massey University contributed to New Zealand's top medal tally at the Tokyp Olympics (photo/Unsplash)

World champion canoe sprinter and Massey University student Lisa Carrington became New Zealand’s most decorated Olympic athlete after winning three gold medals at the Tokyo Olympic Games 2021.

More than 100 athletes with Massey connections (current and past students or alumni) took part in the Games across a range of sporting codes. Of these, 26 athletes who are current or former Massey students were responsible for bringing home 12 medals, including seven gold, three silver and two bronze.

Ms Carrington, Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki and Ngāti Porou, who is currently studying for a Postgraduate Diploma (Arts), won three gold medals in the canoe sprint events, K1 200, K1 500 and K2 500. It is the highest number of gold medals ever won by a single New Zealand athlete at an Olympic Games. Her latest medal haul put her ahead of 184 countries competing, and her achievement was a major contribution to New Zealand’s top-ranking tally of 20 Olympic medals, including seven gold.

Dubbed ‘GOAT (greatest of all time) in a boat’ by New Zealand media after she won the K1 500m final – her last individual race of the games – Ms Carrington became New Zealand's most decorated Olympic athlete as she claimed her sixth Olympic medal (her fifth gold). She and the K4 500m crew finished fourth in the team kayak race at the games.

The gold medal winning women’s Rugby Sevens team was largely made up of current and past students and alumni from Massey, including Sarah Hirini (captain), Tyla Nathan-Wong, Stacey Fluhler, Alena Saili, Shiray Kaka, Portia Woodman and Michaela Blyde.

Some Massey students and alumni competed for other countries, including triathlete Simone Ackermann (representing South Africa) and swimmer Kirsten Fisher-Marsters, who was a flag bearer for the Cook Islands at the opening ceremony.

High jump athlete Hamish Kerr, a Massey alumnus, made the finals at the Tokyo Olympics

Olympians balancing study and high performance sport

Tamara Scott-Valath, High Performance Coordinator for Massey’s Academy of Sport, which supports athletes to successfully balance their sporting and academic commitments, says; “We’re in awe of the sporting achievements of our many student-athletes’, particularly at world-level events such as the Olympic Games.

“These athletes have managed not only the demands of elite sport, but also their study and academic assessments along with other personal commitments such as work and family. It’s a huge undertaking and we are immensely proud of them all.

“We’re especially proud of some of our athletes involved with our Academy of Sport programme who have done so well at their first Olympic Games,” Ms Scott-Valath says. “It was fantastic watching the progress of these and other Massey students on the TV! – like current Academy of Sport members like swimmers Zac Reid, Kirsten Fisher-Marsters and footballer Paige Satchell, and it was especially neat watching high jumper and alumni Hamish Kerr make the final in his first Olympics. What an amazing final it was.”

Olympian footballer Paige Satchell, a current Academy of Sport member

Medals galore

Other medal-winning Olympic athletes who are also current or past Massey students or alumni are:

Tom Mackintosh (Master of Management), Dan Williamson (Certificate of Proficiency), Matt MacDonald (Bachelor of Sport and Exercise),Phillip Wilson (Bachelor of Sport and Exercise), Hamish Bond (Bachelor of Business Studies and Postgrad Diploma (BBS)), Sam Bosworth (Graduate Diploma in Business Studies) – gold in rowing (Men’s Eight)
Emma Twigg (Bachelor of Arts) – gold in rowing (Women’s single sculls)
Sarah Hirini (Bachelor of Arts), Tyla Nathan-Wong (Bachelor of Sport and Exercise), Stacey Fluhler (Postgrad Diploma in Business), Alena Saili (Bachelor of Sport and Exercise), Shiray Kaka (Bachelor of Arts), Portia Woodman (Diploma in Arts) and Michaela Blyde (Bachelor of Sport and Exercise) – gold in Women’s Rugby Sevens
Kerri Gowler (Bachelor of Science) and Grace Prendergast (Bachelor of Business Studies) – gold in rowing (Women’s Pair)
Kerri Gowler, Grace Prendergast, Jackie Gowler (Bachelor of Retail and Business Management), Emma Dyke (Bachelor of Science), Beth Ross (Bachelor of Arts), and Lucy Spoors (Postgrad Certificate in International Security) – silver in rowing (Women’s Eight)
Brooke Donoghue (Bachelor of Business Studies) and Hannah Osborne (Bachelor of Science) – silver in rowing (Women’s double)
Scott Curry (Bachelor of Sport and Exercise and Graduate Certificate in Science), William Warbrick (Bachelor of Business), Ngarohi McGarvey-Black (Diploma in Arts) – silver in Men’s Rugby Sevens
Marcus Daniell (Bachelor of Arts and Graduate Diploma of Arts) – bronze in tennis (doubles)
Regan Gough (Bachelor of Sport Management) – bronze in cycling (Men’s team pursuit)

Massey University well represented in NZ Olympics team

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +1200

Hamish Kerr is representing NZ in High Jump

From road cycling and hockey to canoe slalom and rowing, Massey University has a massive presence in this year’s New Zealand Olympic team heading to Tokyo.

As of yet, 84 of the 138 confirmed athletes in the New Zealand team have a Massey connection.

Both of the flag bearers, Hamish Bond and Sarah Hirini selected earlier this month, hold Massey qualifications.

Hamish Bond graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor of Business and is returning for his third Olympics after winning gold in the men’s rowing in London 2012 and Rio de Janerio 2016.

Sarah Hirini completed her Bachelor of Arts majoring in Maori Studies in 2017. She is now heading to the Olympics as captain of the New Zealand’s Women’s Rugby Sevens team after previously winning Silver in Rio.

Hamish Kerr graduated in 2019 with a Bachelor of Agribusiness and is representing New Zealand in High Jump. Finishing a degree the year before an Olympics is not easy feat and Hamish thanks Massey’s flexible learning offerings that helped him balance sport and study.

“Massey was the perfect fit for me, with its willingness to support athletes to achieve their dreams in the sporting arena.

“Their distance programme is perfect for athletes who are on the road, and without Massey there is no way I would have been able to gain a qualification while competing."

The strong Massey representation in this year’s Olympics team is no coincidence says High Performance Coordinator Tamara Scott-Valath.

“Massey University offers students a unique flexibility that no other university in New Zealand provides which means it can be tailored to the life of a high-performance athlete.”

She says with a combination of either on-campus, off-campus or mix-mode study options, and either full-time or part-time study, athletes can fit their studies around their sporting commitments and change it to accommodate particular sporting events.

“We understand that sport and study are a delicate balance and we’re here to help them realise both goals without compromising either.”

Massey University wishes their 84 students and alumni and all the athletes heading off to Tokyo to represent New Zealand all the best.

International hockey series to be held on Massey turf in Olympic lead up

Thu, 13 May 2021 00:00:00 +1200

Massey University's turf was finished in 2020

Massey University’s state-of-the-art turf is set to host the Black Sticks and their Australian counterparts in the newly announced tans-Tasman hockey series; the first international games for both teams in 14 months.

With the trans-Tasman bubble recently announced many sports fans were eager to see if this meant more international competitions and hockey fans were not left disappointed as this series was promptly organised.

Hockey NZ Chief Executive Anthony Crummy said, “it’s great to see the willingness from both countries to do what it takes to make this series happen so quickly.”

The series, starting on 27 May and running until 2 June, will have the men’s and women’s teams play four tests each as they start to rev up for the Tokyo Olympics.

All four squads, the men’s and women’s Black Sticks and the Australian Hockeyroos and Kookaburras are bringing approximately 22 players to the series as they look to select their Olympic teams.

“Given the unfortunate 14-month hiatus in international hockey for both teams, this series will be vital as both a selection event and in our final preparations for Tokyo” Mr Crummy says.

Not only will they be testing out the opposition in the series, but it gives both teams the chance to play on the same turf as will be used in the Tokyo Olympics.

One of the reasons Massey University’s Manawatū campus was selected for this series was the new turf finished in 2020 will give players a great insight to how the turf changes the game.

Massey Sport Advancement Manager Jacob Oram says it’s great to see international sport return to New Zealand and more specifically Palmerston North.

“This is the first international hockey in the Manawatū since 2014 and it’s fantastic to see it back here and playing on Massey’s world class facilities.”

This is the first major hockey series at the senior level to use the new turf, after hosting club and school hockey last winter, as well as a secondary school's tournament in September.

All tests will be televised live on Sky Sport, in preparation for the games the Massey turf will now be decked out with camera scaffolding, a commentary box, turf signage, perimeter fencing, portable stands, ticket booths and marquees.

Tickets can be purchased through the Blacksticks website here with kids under 16 free.

Trans-Tasman series

Thursday May 27, Friday May 28, Sunday May 30 and Tuesday June 1.

Massey University turf, Palmerston North

Match times: 5.30pm and 7.30pm on Thursday, Friday and Tuesday, 1pm and 3pm on Sunday.

Top Higher Education Academy Fellowship recognises work-integrated learning

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 00:00:00 +1200

Dr Andy Martin’s award is in recognition of his teaching, scholarship and leadership in the field of work-integrated learning.

Professor in Sport and Physical Education, Andy Martin has been named a principal fellow of the prestigious Higher Education Academy in the United Kingdom.

Dr Martin is the second Massey academic to be accepted into the small international group of principal fellows, following Professor Lisa Emerson’s appointment in 2019.

The fellowships are awarded by Advance HE, a British organisation dedicated to improving the quality of higher education worldwide. Principal fellowship is the highest strategic level attainable and is granted when a sustained record of local, national and international strategic impact on teaching and student learning has been sufficiently demonstrated.

Dr Martin’s award is in recognition of his teaching, scholarship and leadership in the field of work-integrated learning, specifically related to the development and coordination of the sport practicum at Massey University.

Acting Pro Vice-Chancellor for the College of Health Jill McCutcheon says the attainment of principal fellow is an outstanding achievement and recognises Dr Martin’s significant contribution to leadership in work-integrated learning within Massey University and in the broader tertiary sector.

“Professor Martin is passionate in his commitment to student learning and so it is pleasing to see his leadership and excellence in teaching acknowledged by his peers with this prestigious award.”

In 2018, Dr Martin won a National Tertiary Teaching Excellence Award. He noted it was important to continue his professional development as a reflective practitioner; “The HEA award provided an international context to critically analyse my teaching, scholarship and leadership to further enhance students’ learning experiences.

“This award also acknowledges, Massey University's international commitment to excellence in work-integrated learning, which was formalised by the signing of a global charter promoting the area in 2019. Becoming a principal fellow allows me to mentor this community of academics who are committed to excellence in this practice.”

Director of Learning and Teaching Duncan O’Hara says Dr Martin’s achievement underscores the world-class teachers at Massey University.

He says although gaining the principal fellow credential is difficult, the journey of reflection on one’s commitment to teaching, learning and the student experience is well worth it.

“I know that Massey has a huge number of committed and engaged educators whose influence on the tertiary landscape is considerable, and I would encourage staff to follow in the footsteps of our two principal fellows.”

He pays tribute to Professor Lisa Emerson (principal fellow) and Professor Andy Martin as well as the growing number of Associate Fellows, Fellows and Senior Fellows in gaining recognition for their dedication to teaching and learning.

Walking into a new lease of life

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +1200

Jen Eaton (L) and Robert Horsman have been meeting twice a week to train at the Massey University Sport and Exericse Clinic.

Being able to walk to and from a certain destination every day is something many of us take for granted, but for Jen Eaton who has been battling the symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) for the past 18 years, it’s become one of her greatest achievements thanks to help of a Massey University student.

On October 28, Mrs Eaton travelled back to her hometown of Napier to compete in the annual Multiple Steps for MS charity run/walk, but it has been her journey getting there that she is most proud of.

Mrs Eaton’s MS journey began back in the 1990s when she was studying at Massey and started getting a focal migraine causing her to see only half of the person’s face sitting next to her, and by the early 2000s she was experiencing symptoms of double vision quite frequently.

In 2002 she was officially diagnosed and was told she had relapsing remitting MS. This is a flare-up or worsening of new or existing symptoms, which may or may not fully resolve once in remission. However, due to not meeting the required level of disability on the expanded disability status scale she was not eligible for medication and treatment until 11 years later.

As a result she has not been able to drive a car for the past 12 years and her right leg has been severely affected by the symptoms making it difficult to walk or move freely.

During the Covid-19 lockdown, Mrs Eaton met Robert Horsman, a Bachelor of Sport and Exercise (Exercise Prescription major) student, over the phone as part of his third-year practicum arranged by senior lecturer Lynette Hodges.

Members of the public who suffer from MS, obesity, diabetes and other conditions are able to come to the Massey University Sport and Exercise Clinic and work with third year students to improve their health and fitness and as a form of rehabilitation.

Initially, Robert says he gave Mrs Eaton functional workouts she could do at home that began to help her move around the house more easily.

“I had no idea how long we were going to be in lockdown for, so I wanted to make life at home easier for her by helping her to practice getting out of chairs with ease. If she fell, I wanted to be confident that she was strong enough and able to get herself up again,” he says.

Around three months later they were able to meet in person on the Manawatū campus to continue working together in the Sport and Exercise Clinic.

During lockdown she managed to Nordic walk (walking with poles) 130 metres so her first goal was to Nordic walk 500m. Robert set out to give her the right exercises to get her cardio fitness and her strength up to help with her mobility.

In addition to MS, Mrs Eaton had to overcome an injury to her knee following an earlier fall.

Robert then prescribed exercises to help improve her knee function and strength as well as her balance as Mrs Eaton’s foot is affected by MS and had begun to act like a claw.

Mrs Eaton found herself scrunching up towels with her toes or sitting cross legged on the chair watching TV massaging the balls of her toes. As a result of her training, her foot issues have been completely resolved.

“I use to have massive spasms at night time in my feet and it use to interfere with my sleep but doing these exercises I don’t get them anymore. I also use to get spasms in my legs, but they were stopped with the help of stretching exercises Rob gave me.”

She says she has enjoyed every exercise– even when it’s been hard “it’s been fun.”

After a few weeks, Robert was able to use the pedometer to track Mrs Eaton’s progress by getting her to walk for as long as she could, and she achieved 612m on her first attempt. Once she had built more strength up and was able to walk 1km, she decided she wanted to participate in Multiple Steps.

Race day soon came around and Mrs Eaton proudly completed her 2.5km walk in just 50.22mins. This included an 880m section she walked without a rest.

“It was really, really fun and it was just such a huge achievement. We found out when we got to the end that we weren’t meant to have walked through the sunken garden, as we had been told by someone that was part of the course, but without the exercises I had done with Robert there was no way I could have walked it as there had an extremely steep entry and exit with stairs on one side.”

Mrs Eaton says she now feels stronger both physically and mentally and the possibilities of what she can achieve are endless.

It was a proud moment that both Mrs Eaton and Robert shared and one that concludes their time together with he finishes up his degree at the end of this year.

He says working with Mrs Eaton has been a massive eye opener and he has been able to see how MS affects individuals in different ways.

“We take that for granted. This last year has been a massive  eye opener for me to think there are actually people out there that just don’t have the ability to have a good night’s sleep or be able to walk.”

When Robert first started his degree, he wanted to work with elite athletes and had the intention of going overseas to work with basketball teams in The United States but this year he found himself invested in his work with Mrs Eaton and his ideas shifted.

“There’s so much more that needs to be done for people with MS or other chronic diseases, like diabetes. This kind of work is much more challenging than anything I’ve done with people before. It’s very rewarding to see the little victories or in this case for Jen the big victories like being able to get up out of a chair at home without struggling or feeling dizzy and improving her sleep.”  

Robert is hoping to return to Massey next year to complete his Master’s degree to continue his work with MS patients and use the research and knowledge that he has gained from his degree to find a way to progress the treatment for MS patients.

As for Mrs Eaton, she will continue to come to the clinic twice a week to work with third year students from the Bachelor of Sport and Exercise degree. She only wishes that the work these students are involved in was available when she was first diagnosed as she could have started her rehabilitation early on.

“It would be phenomenal as it is already amazing now. I used to look at my Nordic walking poles, in my bedroom & get upset because I hadn't Nordic walked since about 2016 & I thought those days were behind me, but now they're not.”

New world-class hockey turf for Manawatū

Thu, 25 Jun 2020 00:00:00 +1200

Massey University Vice-Chancellor Jan Thomas and City Councillor Leone Hapeta gathered with members of the Massey and hockey communities to bless the new turf.

A new state of the art artificial hockey turf at the Manawatū campus is ready for action following its completion, this week.

An official blessing was held on Thursday June 25 and an official opening will take place in the near future.

The international size turf is the third of its kind in Palmerston North and was built as a result of a partnership between Massey University, Palmerston North City Council and Hockey Manawatū.

The turf was constructed through a joint agreement between the council, the University and Hockey Manawatū. Both Massey and the council contributed funds to the construction costs, with the balance being met through fundraising and grants, including from the Lotteries and Central Energy Trust. The facility will be run in partnership by Hockey Manawatū and the University.

The turf was laid by international company Polytan and mimics the one it built in Japan for the Tokyo Olympics, which is hailed as one of the most technologically advanced surfaces in the world. Several local contractors were used in the turf’s construction.

The electronic speed testing equipment that is installed within the turf is world leading. Other interesting features include the shock pad, which utilises recycled rubber, and the asphalt was laid with laser machinery. The straight lines were woven into the grass during manufacturing to allow a strong bond and there are two 30,000 litre water tanks to feed the sprinklers to keep the turf in top condition. The water will come from Massey’s bore and will be recycled.

The turf will be used for community sport, as well as exercise-related teaching and research and to help attract hockey-playing students to Palmerston North. It is the latest addition to the University’s breadth of existing sporting facilities, including the Sport and Rugby Institute, Recreation Centre, Equestrian Centre, Manawatū Community Athletics Track, netball and tennis courts and 11 rugby and football fields.

The University’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Jan Thomas says the facility will be of great value to Palmerston North and the University.

“Hockey is popular in the region and with strong participant numbers, the demand was there for another top-quality facility to play and train on.” Massey’s accommodation, food halls and gyms also make it an ideal facility for national camps, programmes and international matches, she says.

The facility is a significant milestone within the University’s Sport Framework, an overarching strategic approach to promoting and developing sport and recreation for staff and students.

“The turf will have a positive flow on effect for our reputation as a hub for community sport

and recreation. It will assist with fostering excellence through providing a world class facility for hockey players of all ages to hone their skills, and for student and staff engagement as the turf will be accessible for Massey’s community to use as a further source of recreation.

The turf is the third international sized turf in the city. Image credit: PNCC.

Palmerston North mayor Grant Smith says the new addition has great benefits for the city and wider region, which is a powerhouse for national secondary school sports tournaments given its central location.

"Palmerston North has always been a hockey nursery producing many Black Sticks. This University facility complements our existing city facilities wonderfully, helping us become known as New Zealand’s regional sports hub. This new turf will be great for keeping our residents along with students active, but also will provide significant economic benefits to our city when there are major sporting events at the turf. After COVID-19, projects like this that directly keep our residents in jobs are more important than ever. "

Hockey Manawatū general manager Neil Ulrich says most major national tournaments require three turfs, which the city now has.

“This presents the opportunity to host the likes of the New Zealand National Hockey Championships, National Masters Tournament, Rankin and Fed Cup Secondary Schools tournaments, as well as more inter-city competitions with teams from around the lower North Island.

“We are so excited to have a third synthetic turf in the city. This gives us an opportunity to develop more participation and development programmes, and a talent academy we have not previously had space for.”

The turf was just weeks away from completion when COVID-19 sent New Zealand into lockdown, but contractors were able to resume work under strict health and safety measures at Alert Level 3.

Lust and laughs galore in Summer Shakespeare

Thu, 20 Feb 2020 00:00:00 +1200

Summer Shakespeare Twelfth Night actors (from left): Massey graduate Cam Dickons (playing Sebastian); Sasha Lipinksy (playing Viola/Cesario) and Lisa Swinbanks (playing Olivia). (Photo credit/Anu Grace Photography)

Director Mel Cook (photo/Arka Gutpa)

Manawatū Summer Shakespeare turns 18 this year – the perfect age to stage a riotous, gender-bending production of Twelfth Night as a jukebox musical of a party with an 80s vibe.

The popular summer theatre event, launched in 2003 by former Massey School of English and Media Studies theatre lecturer and award-winning playwright Professor Angie Farrow, opens next Thursday in the Victoria Esplanade Rose Garden. And it promises to be a night of “lust, laughs and larks in the park”, say organisers.

The romantic comedy revolves around the escapades of a shipwrecked brother and sister, and the comical commotion that erupts amid love, rivalry and mistaken identity.

International immersive theatre director and British visiting artist Mel Cook has crafted a colourful, quirky production of this chaotic comedy, says publicist Amy Atkins. “Set in modern-day Illyria, the inhabitants of this world exist in a vaporwave [a microgenre of electronic music] aesthetic reality where the 80s beats are rocking and colours are constantly clashing! Think 80s and 90s nostalgia meets 21st century tech,” says Ms Atkins, who graduated from Massey in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in English and Theatre Studies. She says 20 of the 36-strong cast and crew are Massey students, staff or graduates.

Twelfth Night celebrates LGBTQIA+ people like no other Shakespeare play, she says. “Manawatū Summer Shakespeare promises this 2020 performance is the most inclusive production yet. The play is queer and family-friendly and the stage placement around the duck pond in the Victoria Esplanade Rose Gardens allows for easy wheelchair or pram access for audience members, too.”

“Come celebrate life!” urges Mel Cook. “Twelfth Night is the ‘eat, drink, and be merry’ antidote to the gathering clouds of our times. Pack a picnic, assemble your posse, don a lewk [your signature style], and sing along with the aesthetic riot in the roses. It is better to crack a glow stick than curse the darkness.”

Manawatū Summer Shakespeare is a collaboration between Massey University, Palmerston North City Council, Square Edge Arts Centre, and the actors and creative artists who “give up their summer to bring these accessible, often hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking productions by the undisputed king of verse and crude jokes,” says Ms Atkins.

It is the second time Twelfth Night has been staged by Manawatū Summer Shakespeare – the first was in 2006, under the direction of Ryan Hartigan.

Director – Mel Cook

Mel Cook is an experiential theatre maker working in site-responsive transmedia and devised theatre. A graduate of RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art), she has directed productions for many United Kingdom and United States theatres. In the United Kingdom, she runs Snakebit Theatricals and has worked with many world leading theatre companies, including the Barbican and the National Theatre Studio. She is known for her work in interactive theatre with companies including Punchdrunk, Shakespeare’s Globe, and the Royal Shakespeare Company, as well as for building immersive events for corporations and for creating narrative adventures in parks, graveyards, museums and derelict buildings.

Mel Cook is being hosted in the residency apartment at Square Edge Arts Centre in Palmerston North. With an office space on Massey’s Manawatū campus in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, she is involved with Massey’s summer school contact courses. In the residency’s Shakespeare in Schools programme, she is bringing expertise and inspiration to local high school students, as well as offering workshops to the wider community.

Twelfth Night: Victoria Esplanade Rose Garden (above the pond)

Shows: Feb 27, 28, 29 and March 4, 5, 6, 7 at 7pm.

Matinee 1 March: 5pm

Entry by koha (donation/gold coin). Spot prizes for anyone who comes dressed up.

For more information follow:

Website: summershakespeare.org.nz
Instagram:@palmyshakespeare
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manawatusummershakespeare/

Opinion: When fun is not enough to keep young people in sport

Wed, 18 Sep 2019 00:00:00 +1200

Associate Professor Dennis Slade from the School of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition.

By Associate Professor Dennis Slade

Fun was the most frequently used term at the launch of a new youth sport idea from Sport New Zealand. Commentators from the major sports joining the promotion, namely rugby, cricket, netball, football, hockey and basketball, all at one time or another said, in relation to playing sport, "kids just want to have fun".

The idea is designed to improve the retention of young people in sport and while other terms were bandied about, having fun was pitched as the driver to keep adolescents playing sport.

The problem is, if fun is the central focus as the means through which adolescents will be retained in playing sport, then unfortunately, it is not enough. While having fun is important, the real focus should be enjoyment.

Enjoyment has a subtle, but important difference to fun. Retention of adolescents in sport is, in the main, governed by competence. Competence is considered so important for retaining youth in sport it is given a name, the competency barrier.

The pre-adolescence barrier is contextualised as the extent to which a young person can exhibit a measure of control of the fundamental game or sport skills in which they are engaged. Without the necessary competence they are unlikely to continue with sports as adolescents or adults. It is commonsense.

Few among us persevere in an activity where we do not succeed. Yet if we achieve some competence and success, we are more likely to enjoy the activity and persevere with it. The retention is driven by feelings of self-efficacy through competence. We can have fun because we can do meaningful things in the sport or game.

Although there is much to admire in this move from Sport NZ, fun is such a fleeting quality and in sport it is only a short-term outcome that it might not be the best focus to achieve the intended ends of playing retention.

For example, fun in physical education circles is often described as rolling out the ball – a full class fun game with little or no attempt to instruct anything. Another term is "busy, happy good" – the class is busy, apparently happy and well behaved – but nothing is being taught.

We know how to teach coaches and teachers to instruct for competence in fun and enjoyable ways. Through integrated learning strategies it is also known how to capture the interest of those to play sport, who feel sport as it has been traditionally delivered does not excite them.

In my observations such holistic strategies are not pursued by the local tennis or football coach. They want to develop a tennis player or footballer and beyond those admirable goals, they typically do not have a wider educational agenda, which is so important to capture those on the fringe of playing or carrying on with sport as adolescents or adults. However, we know how to prepare teachers and coaches with the skills to teach or coach in that holistic way, it takes time.

It will be interesting to see if the Sport NZ idea includes provisions to achieve those ends. Given community coaching is undertaken by an army of volunteers, to do so will be an expensive and intense exercise. It will take more than a booklet in a pack with a whistle and a sponsor's voucher.

My fear though is just as students quickly see through the fun roll-out-the-ball strategy in physical education, get bored and eventually become disruptive, if we don't ensure the coaches and teachers can deliver more than fun, increased retention by adolescents in sport may be problematic.

Dr Dennis Slade is an Associate Professor in the School of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition.

Massey Blues awards finalists announced

Fri, 13 Sep 2019 00:00:00 +1200

The group of 2018 Blues winners from the Manawatū and Wellington campuses.

Finalists for the Massey University Blues Sports Awards have been announced, with athletes qualifying in a range of sporting codes, from para-swimming to aerobic gymnastics.

The University is presenting 170 Blues to students, with eight receiving awards for competing in two sports. Blues are awarded to high-achieving students who have also excelled in their sporting codes.

The awards recognise students from all campuses, as well as those studying via distance. There will also be acknowledgement of team achievement and service to sport.
Additionally one student will receive the Sport Achievement Award, which recognises high achievers in sport who are not athletes, such as managers, coaches or referees. They must have achieved at the same level as an individual athlete would to receive a Blues Award.

The combined Manawatū and Wellington ceremony will be hosted at the Sport and Rugby Institute at the Manawatū campus on October 15. The Auckland campus ceremony will be held on October 10.

The guest speaker for both ceremonies will be Bachelor of Communication graduate Hannah Rowe, who recently completed her studies while balancing an international cricket career with the White Ferns. She has impressed the cricketing world since her debut as a teenager against England in February 2015.

Finalists

Auckland Campus Sportswoman of the Year

Zoe Hobbs – Athletics

Hannah Wilton – Aerobic Gymnastics

Pia Tapsell – Rugby

Vanessa Ouwehand – Swimming

Auckland Campus Sportsman of the Year

Edward Lau – Badminton

Chris Arbuthnott – Para-Swimming

Timothy Waller – Canoe Sprint

Brad McNaughten – Rugby

Manawatū and Wellington Campus Sportswoman of the Year

Georgia Atkinson – Cricket

Tiana Davison – Rugby Sevens and Rugby

Georgia Wheeler – Canoe Polo

Casey Hales – Canoe Polo and Canoe Slalom

Manawatū and Wellington Campus Sportsman of the Year

Felix Murray – Cricket

Finn Brown – Judo

Tom Biggs – Taekwon-Do

Matthew O'Connell – Basketball

Distance Sportswoman of the Year

Luuka Jones – Canoe Slalom

Lisa Carrington – Canoe Sprint

Brooke Donoghue – Rowing

Tyla Nathan Wong – Rugby Sevens

Distance Sportsman of the Year

Finn Butcher – Canoe Slalom

Regan Gough – Cycling

Nicholas Kergozou De La Boessiere – Cycling

Cory Taylor – Surf Life Saving

Zac Reid – Swimming and Surf Lifesaving

Marcus Daniell – Tennis

The 2018 Auckland Blues recipients. Photo credit: Kendra Eden Photography.

Event details

Auckland event details

Date: Thursday, October 10

Time: 6pm drinks and canapes followed by award presentations at 7pm.

Location: Atrium Round Room, Gate One, Massey University Auckland campus in Albany

Host: Hamish McKay

Manawatū event details

Date: Tuesday, October 15

Time: 5.30pm pre-award drinks and canapes followed by award presentations at 6pm.

Location: Sport and Rugby Institute, Massey University, 56 Albany Drive, Palmerston North

Host: Head of the School of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition, Associate Professor Andrew Foskett

Varsity aiming for 21st Manawatū rugby championship

Thu, 11 Jul 2019 00:00:00 +1200

Varsity A players walk off triumphant after beating College Old Boys last Saturday.

The Massey University rugby team, Varsity A, are finalists in the Manawatū club rugby championship, playing on Saturday for what could be their 21st win in their 90-year history.

The “Sky Blues” take on last season's beaten finalists, Feilding Yellows, for the Hankins Shield after recording six straight wins, including over Yellows, last year’s winners Feilding Old Boys Oroua, and top-of-the-table College Old Boys, who they beat in the semi-final last weekend 35-6.

Just over seven weeks ago the season was not looking promising. Varsity were embarrassingly beaten at home 16-9 by Te Kawau in front of a large crowd of supporters and former players who were there to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the club.

Varsity captain Kirk Tufuga, Bachelor of Sport and Exercise (2014) and now a student recruitment adviser at the Manawatū campus, says it was that setback that spurred the players into action.

It coincided with coaches Scott Lewis and Blair van Stipriaan getting all of the main men back from injuries and suddenly Varsity's confidence was restored. It would be a rare feat to come from fourth qualifiers to champions, a fitting dedication to the Massey College Originals of 1929.

Varsity have featured in the semifinals every year since 2009 and the only year they didn't since 2004 was in 2008.

Tufuga was there when Varsity won the Hankins final in 2016, beating Kia Toa 18-17, as were his brothers props Sam and Max and midfielder Ueta. They have a core of experience, from Manawatu hooker Nick Grogan to midfield back Hamish Northcott, flanker Doug Juszczyk and lock Tom Hughes.

On the exciting youthful side are giant prop Antonio Walker-Leawere, locks Mickey Woolliams and Ian Burmeister, loose forward Dylan Hall, halfback Potene Rolls-Paewai, utility Jayden Falcon, wing Korie Winters, fullback Te Rangitira Waitokia and former Samoan under-20 midfielder Ueta Tufuga.

Woolliams, Northcott and Waitokia were injured in Manawatu's pre-season against New Zealand Defence Force yesterday but were determined to make Saturday’s lineup.

The game starts at 3pm at the Central Energy Trust Arena in Palmerston North.

Increasing the prospect of winning

Tue, 21 May 2019 00:00:00 +1200

Dr Lana McCarthy graduated with her Doctor of Philosophy last week. Her research investigated ways in which captains and coaches have constructed the culture of our national netball team, the Silver Ferns.

Media coverage and research about female high performance sport falls short compared to male sport in New Zealand, according to new research from Massey University PhD graduate Lana McCarthy.

The 32-year-old, who graduated with her Doctor of Philosophy last week, found this lack of information on women’s elite sport an opportunity to conduct a very necessary major study.

“The purpose of this research was to investigate the ways in which captains and coaches have constructed the culture of New Zealand’s national netball team, the Silver Ferns,” she says.

Dr McCarthy investigated ways in which captains and coaches have constructed the evolving culture and leadership of the team, highlighting team values of work ethic, pride, and good behaviour on and off the court.

Originally from Masterton, Dr McCarthy is a high-performance netball coach and is currently working as a regional sports advisor for Sport Manawatu.

“This research is the first major study of a high performance women’s netball team and partially addresses this research gap through a case study involving the Silver Ferns from 1960-2015, with netball being considered New Zealand’s most popular female sport,” she says.

The research unearthed some major findings. “There were three main values that were considered vital to demonstrate when one was a Silver Fern. These were possessing a high work ethic, pride, and good behaviour on and off the court,” Dr McCarthy says.

“Coaches and captains also held immense pride in the black dress and the silver fern as a symbol, and the sense of pride in selection as a Silver Fern and in the legacy of those players before them. It was also identified that effective leadership approaches played a crucial part in the level of success the team experienced.

“There has always been a strong Māori cultural element within the team. The Silver Ferns have a long history of being multicultural and therefore all players from various ethnic backgrounds were celebrated. This research also identified that there was no one single model of coaching across the years, and that a mixed-methods approach catered far better to the players learning styles and increased their chances of winning,” Dr McCarthy says.

She hopes the insights and findings from her research will educate current and future best practice in elite-level female sport teams. “This study could be used by female athletes to help achieve further consistent high quality performances, thereby increasing success,” Dr McCarthy says.

“What initially surprised me was how female sport in general, and female high performance sport specifically, is not well served by the media compared to male sport,” she adds. “Receiving even less coverage and insights is the scholarly work on women’s elite sport investigated from the perspective of team captains and coaches. Therefore, this is a unique study that provides an historical insight into a New Zealand female high performance sport team, the Silver Ferns, and its evolving team culture and leadership.”

Dr McCarthy’s research findings are going to be made into a book, The Silver Ferns:Leadership & Legacy, co-authored by two of her PhD supervisors, Professor Andy Martin from the School of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition and Dr Geoff Watson from the School of Humanities. It is due to be released early next year via Massey University Publishers.

Dr McCarthy holds many qualifications, all from Massey University, including a Master in Sport and Exercise, Graduate Diploma in Education and a Postgraduate Diploma in Sport Management and Coaching.