Taranaki Sports Hall of Fame Nominations Open
The roll call of famous Taranaki sportspeople is set to grow and spread online with nominations for the Taranaki Sports Hall of Fame opening again this year.
Twelve outstanding Taranaki sportspeople have been inducted into the Hall of Fame since it was launched in 2009. Olympians Stan Lay, Norman Reid and rugby legend Peter Burke. Olympian Peter Snell was the last inductee to the Hall announced in 2021.
For the first time in its history nominations for the Hall are being called for. The Hall is also moving online to showcase the recipients more fully.
Clear criteria will aid the decision-making process for a judging panel, which will be the same cross section of people who judge the annual Taranaki Sports Awards.
Sport Taranaki CEO Michael Carr said the time was right to relaunch the Hall of Fame as it was important that it kept growing and evolving as sport and recreation evolved in society.
“We are excited about opening the next chapter of the Taranaki Sports Awards. It is important that as a province we recognise the achievements of those that reach the heights of sporting success and those that through their example, and their mahi in the sporting community, sometimes over many decades is celebrated.”
Previously, the Hall of Fame inductees were recognized with a small display of certificates in the foyer of the Sport Taranaki building – but that presence has now moved online – providing much greater scope to celebrate the range of achievements of these sporting greats.
“There is so much more people can do online. You can watch some of Sir Peter Snell’s races and interviews or hear Stan Lay yarning about his early days in Hāwera cricket before he picked up the javelin.”
The recipients will also be acknowledged on site in a visitor’s area upstairs at Sport Taranaki and Carr says he is looking forward to a range of nominations being made.
“The current inductees reflect the often male dominated, traditional sports which were one reflection of the sporting landscape at the time, I would expect this will continue to evolve with the success of Taranakians on the world stage across all sorts of sporting achievements.”
Article added: Monday 03 July 2023
