The Volunteer of the Month Award is back for 2010. Each month two to four special volunteers will be nominated by their Association for this award.
If you have someone that you would like nominated please contact your local Regional Development Manager or Coach Force Officer. (If you don't know who that is please click here)
AUGUST AWARDEES:
Name: Tracey Fowlie
Nickname: Racey Tracey
Age: 20
Club: Onewhero Pukekohe
Association: Counties Manukau
What areas does this person volunteer in?
Coaching 2 rep teams, Umpiring club hockey, high school coach and has coached and umpired at local intermediate
How many hours a week does this person volunteer and in what role(s)?
25-30hrs week
How long has this person been volunteering for?
last 4 years
Why does this volunteer deserve to win this award?
Because at the young age of 20 her enthusiasm and passion for hockey and our association and the hours she puts in have proved to be outstanding. She is an inspiration to all coaches, umpires and players and we wish we could have another 20 Traceys.
Name: Hamish Muir
Age: Old enough!
Teams: City Impact Church School
Association: North Harbour
What areas does this person volunteer in?Hamish has for many years been involved in the sport of hockey, as a player and as a coach, in our local competition and still plays regularly. Last year he was approached by his Church school, City Impact Church, to assist in putting together a team to play in the Harbour Year 5/6 - 6 aside girl’s competition, and he was willing and happy to do this. As this was the first time the school had ever had hockey, he was the leading figure in getting the sport into the school and introduced it to the girls who were keen to play. During the course of the season, the interest in hockey grew and they had enough players to enter another team into the Summer Hockey League, an 8 aside team in the year 5/6 grade as well as the 6 aside team. Hamish has also this season introduced another team to the Harbour Competition, a Boys Year 3/4 team. All teams are competitive, but play fairly and very well under Hamish’s leadership.
How many hours a week does this person volunteer and in what role(s)?Hamish looks after 3 teams now, and assists coaching the coaches of 2 of these teams whilst working fulltime. He drives back to Harbour to be with his teams and encourage them in the local weekly competition. He runs trainings on a Sunday after church services and this is a fun learning experience for the players and coaches and Hamish takes an active part in this.
He is always looking to improve his coaching and recently asked our Association to run a coaching course with parents and coaches, so they could all learn more about hockey with the view to increasing numbers again next season.
How long has this person been volunteering for?Hamish has been playing and coaching hockey for the last 30 years, at club level, and although he is new to coaching at City Impact, he has made a big effort to get coaches and parents involved and has lifted the profile of hockey to a “high” in the school with many new players looking to sign up for the summer league, and next seasons winter competition. Parents now want to be involved with hockey within the school and there is a list of parents eager to coach or manager one of the teams.
Why does this volunteer deserve to win this award?Hamish would be the nicest guy you could meet. He is down to earth, approachable and willing to help anyone who needs help, even if they don’t ask for it! He was happy to start hockey within the school, look after and coach the children, with a new team in our local competition and within 12 month has increased the numbers, and interest in our sport and the school now has many children playing and parents wishing to be involved.
Hamish is a real gentleman, he arrives at NHHA Stadium these days in a suit, due to a new job, but he is still the same guy I met 12 months ago, arriving in a singlet and shorts and greets everyone with a huge smile. He teaches the players about our game, talks to other coaches so he can learn and passes on more tips and skills and enjoys himself with all the teams he is involved with. He mentors the other coaches within the school, has set up a management team of parents to support the teams, and enjoys his role as a coach. He is worthy of being nominated for the North Harbour Volunteer of the Month Award via Hockey New Zealand.
JULY AWARDEES:
Name: Phil Bone
Nickname: Boney
Age: 45
Teams: Greymouth Wanderers, West Coast U18 Girls, West Coast Masters
Club: Greymouth
Association: West Coast
What areas does this person volunteer in?
Phil is the coach of the 2010 West Coast U18 Girls team. He has been with this group of girls since they were U16s and has achieved great success with them. He trains them twice a week during the rep season. Phil is the player/coach of the Greymouth Wanderers Premier Mens team who have won the local competition for the past 2 years. Phil was also involved in coaching of an off-season training programme for teenagers over the summer. He is a Premier mens umpire and plays in the West Coast Masters team.
How many hours a week does this person volunteer and in what role(s)?
Approximately 15 hours a week. Including trainings, games, planning, fitness sessions and umpiring. Phil is always willing to talk/plan/organise anything to do with hockey and is always able to be reached even at work. Phil also puts numerous hours into travel and gets time off work to go away with the U18 Girls. This year they went away to National Championship Tournament (in Auckland) and had numerous weekend trips away to other tournaments in around the South Island. The number of hours Phil has put into club and rep hockey over the years would be well into the thousands.
How long has this person been volunteering for?
Phil has been a member of the Greymouth Hockey Club for 35 years. He has been coaching and umpiring since he was 15.
Why does this volunteer deserve to win this award?
Phil deserves to win this award as he generally cares about improving the level of hockey on the West Coast. Phil is positive and enthusastic in his comments as a coach and is more than happy to give up his free time to help young players improve. He is constantly seeking to learn new things and will happily talk hockey all day. Phil is a great role model for many of our young hockey players. The time and effort Phil has put into hockey over the years is greatly appreciated by the West Coast Hockey community.
Name: Paul Jones 
Nickname: Jonsey
Age: 47
Teams: Too many to name
Club: Tasman
Association: Nelson
What areas does this person volunteer in?
Paul is involved in the coaching of players and coaches in the Nelson/Marlborough region.
He is also on the Nelson hockey executive board and is umpiring and playing.
How many hours a week does this person volunteer and in what role(s)?
Paul can spend up to 20 hours a week at the hockey turf helping out with coaching and umpiring.
How long has this person been volunteering for?
Paul has been involved in hockey for over 30 years and generally coaches 1 to 2 teams a year, as well as individual coaching.
Why does this volunteer deserve to win this award?
Paul deserves to be acknowledged for his efforts, because of his tremendous passion for the game of hockey. Paul is always keen to help out in any way possible should he be asked. When a team doesn't have a coach, Paul has steps forward takes on the role. Paul has also been heavily involved in trying to upskill coaches in the region with the knowledge he has gained from being involved with the capital under 21 team and has run numerous forums after these tournaments to pass on this information to coaches.
Even though Paul is involved with the Nelson association, he has also spent considerable time in the marlbourgh region, helping with coaching and individual coaching of players.
Name: Richard Knudsen
Nickname: Knuddy
Age: 46
Teams: Under 15, Under 18, Buller juniors.
Club: Westcoast
Association: Buller
What areas does this person volunteer in?
Richard is the president of Buller hockey, a coach, player, umpire, as well as on the turf committee in Buller
How many hours a week does this person volunteer and in what role(s)?
anything up to 30 hours a week,in different capacitys.
Richard looks after the Buller Junior program as well as coaching 3 Buller teams, Richard has been the back bone of the Buller hockey association getting their new turf and he is also heavily into umpiring and mentor umpiring
How long has this person been volunteering for?
Around 15 years.
Why does this volunteer deserve to win this award?
Richard is a guy who when something needs to get done, he does it.
3 years ago, Buller hockey had only 4 womens teams and 4 Junior teams,
With alot of tireless work from Richard they now have 5 mens, 5 womens and around 15 Junior teams.
Richard was also the man behind the new astro turf and has spent many long hours, convincing Buller council to lay a turf in the region.
He has also been working hard to get Buller hockey back into playing Representative games against other Associations.
Richard has been leading from the front in all areas and has been an excellent mentor to young and old players alike.
Richard deserves to be acknowledged for his tireless work with Buller hockey and the Buller region.
Name: Catherine Mclean
Nickname: Kev
Age: over 21
Teams: Ngahinapouri Greensticks 11-a-side (intermediate)
Association: Waikato
What areas does this person volunteer in?
Catherine is a very busy coach of intermediate school hockey and representative hockey. Not only does she coach the Ngahinapouri team, she also co ordinated the other three teams at the school. Catherine coached the Waikato Collier team last year and is our U15 Girls coach this year.
How many hours a week does this person volunteer and in what role(s)?
Catherine spends about 20 hours per week volunteering in hockey during term 2 and about 8 hours per week in term 3. On top of this she has four children playing school and rep hockey and also plays herself.
How long has this person been volunteering for?
Catherine has been coaching school hockey for 9 years and rep hockey for 5 years.
Why does this volunteer deserve to win this award?
Catherine has be part of a committed team of parents at Ngahinapouri School that have taken the school from a rural backwater (in hockey terms) to a Tiger Turf producing hockey powerhouse in the Waikato. Her dedication to her school and association is huge and without her, Ngahinapouri and Waikato would not be producing such talanted hockey players. Catherine puts a large number of hours into Waikato hockey and is always willing to help others out. Just last month she was on the sodden Waikato turf at 8am on a Sunday morning helping out at the Collier clinic, then traveled to the Southwell turf to help at the Y5/6 girls clinic before racing off to her U15 practice.
Catherine has been Ngahinapouri school's hockey coordinator for 6 years, and it is all the extra admin things she does like budgets, organizing teams, applying for Community grants etc that take time. She also puts together a report for the school newsletter each week. In Term 2, she also had quite a bit of involvement with the Sacred Heart Girls College 1st X1 team after she found out that their coach was sick.
The following is an extract from an email she sent me that sums up her reason for coaching:
I love coaching and get heaps of satisfaction from not only seeing the players skills develop but also watching them come together as a team. It is also a huge buzz to see players enjoying the game and I always hope that they will continue to play as long as I have!!
JUNE AWARDEES:
Name: Peter Bowen
Teams: St Peters, Manawatu U15, Senior Men
Association: Manawatu
What areas does this person volunteer in?
Peter is a coaching stalwart and has coached many teams over many years. In 2010 not only is he coaching at St Peters College he is also the head coach of the Manawatu under 15A boys team and assisting the Manawatu senior team. On top of this he is always down the ground on a Saturday looking at all the division 1 games and doing the weekly write up for the the newspaper. Peter's involvement does not stop there, during the summer months he plays a major role in umpiring and playing summer hockey.
How many hours a week does this person volunteer and in what role(s)?
15 - 20 Hours per week at least, probably more!
How long has this person been volunteering for?
As long as anyone can remember!
Why does this volunteer deserve to win this award?
For his commitment and continuing support of all things hockey in the Manawatu.
Name: Wayne Goss
Nickname: Gossy
Age: 39
Teams: Elim Year 7/8, Howick Pakuranga Youth B, Auckland U15 Development Boys - Assistant
Club: Howick Pakuranga Hockey Club, Elim Christian College
Association: Auckland Hockey Association
What areas does this person volunteer in?
Wayne is a coach who gives his time at all levels of Coaching from the Elim school team, the Howick Pakuranga Youth team to working with the U15 Representative Development team. With both his children playing summer hockey, Wayne was also a regular face during the Junior Summer Hockey Competition run at LEP in early 2010, offering support and encouragement to all players.
How many hours a week does this person volunteer and in what role(s)?
When you take in the planning, preparation, running the trainings and debreifs (post match or post training) Wayne puts in more than 15 hours a week on coaching.
How long has this person been volunteering for?
6 years
Why does this volunteer deserve to win this award?
Wayne is a deservide recipient of the coach of the month award because he puts in so much time and effort into his coaching which covers players over a broad range of ability. Some of the progarmmes that Wayne has been involved in within the past 6 months include:
Auckland Hockey Pathways Programme
Observer coach at Auckland Hockey Performance Academy
Junior Summer Hockey Programme
Club Youth Coach
School Coach
Auckland Age group representative coach.
Auckland Hockey is lucky to have a coach of Waynes commitment as he does so much work for the kids and asks for nothing in return.
Name: Kay Brake
Age: 46
Club: Great Lake Taupo Hockey Club
Association: Bay of Plenty
What areas does this person volunteer in?
Kay is the Club Captain of the Great Lake Taupo Hockey Club. Much of her involvement has been with the junior competition which now caters for almost 400 local children. She also currently manages the Taupo-Nui-A-Tia College Girls 2nd XI.
How many hours a week does this person volunteer and in what role(s)?
Approx 20 hours a week. Her children have commented that they think she spends more time on hockey than she does at work!
How long has this person been volunteering for?
Kay has been involved with hockey in Taupo in a voluntary capacity for 9 years. Her involvement has evolved with her children - she started with coaching and organising school teams for Hilltop School then included organising the Junior competition for the Taupo area as well as becoming involved with secondary school teams. This year she is also Club Captain.
Why does this volunteer deserve to win this award?
Kay has done a large amount of work in building the Junior competition to become the second most popular junior winter sporting code in Taupo. She is actively involved in all aspects of the club - from hammering up ceiling batons and painting the new clubhouse to organising all the catering & hospitality for last year's Black Sticks test match. She is a hands-on volunteer who willingly helps others and takes on a multitude of jobs in this small club to make sure they get done.
Previous Years Winners
Click here for 2009 Award Winners