Community sporting champions from around the province and across the a wide range of codes were honoured at the 2023 Taranaki Sports Awards with an Impact award. While their activities, sports and backgrounds were incredibly varied, the positive impact they have on their active communities united them as worthy winners.

Wayne Holdt

After forging a successful sailing career as a competitor Wayne Holdt continues to make a huge impact in the sport. As a sailor, Holdt was a New Zealand Olympic 470 trial representative as well as competing in the New Zealand Interdominion Noelex 25 in 1990/1. He was a national champion from 1989-91 in the Noelex 22 and national champion in the Noelex 25 from 1990-92. He coached the New Zealand Optimist class to a seventh place in the world competition in 1999 and competed as part of the New Zealand Blind Sailing team in 2006, finishing in 2nd place. His dedication to promoting sailing, teamwork, inclusiveness and teaching youth and adults alike, has positively influenced countless individuals. His mentorship and coaching have helped shape the future of many young athletes in the region, instilling more than sailing skills, but also values, sportsmanship, discipline, and perseverance. He regularly coaches throughout the summer and acts as a respected ambassador for Taranaki sailing. Holdt has made a huge contribution to the development of the Sailability programmes, in Taranaki and around the country and is also a member of the International Sailability programme that provides sailing opportunities for disabled sailors. Together with countless hours of volunteer service to the New Plymouth Yacht Club he has also organised scores of high-profile regattas.

Zoe Kensington

Helping start the Coastline Sports Club in Okato is the latest step for Zoe Kensington in a wide-ranging sporting career. Her passion for basketball is well known as a Taranaki Thunder stalwart she has been captain, player and volunteer. She has also made an impact in the community coaching and playing basketball and touch as well as running GETFIT classes three times a week and coaching school netball. She helped set up Coastline Sports Club in 2022 aiming to ensure rural children and their families have access to sporting and social opportunities. The club is a hub for sports codes, set up to bring the community together, develop players’ skills and provide an inclusive environment while also helping to improve wellbeing. She was made the Taranaki Basketball Volunteer of the Year 2023 and also recently won a south Taranaki volunteer community award for her efforts.

Lucinda Searle

Lucinda Searle has shifted the dial for young people and women in golf in Taranaki . Since she started work at Taranaki Golf in a part time administration role in April 2022 events catering for junior golfers have increased and so have junior player numbers. Junior memberships in Taranaki have increased by over 35% in the last year, from 360 to 502. The junior coaching programs she facilitates around Taranaki have increased not only casual golf numbers but those wanting to test their skills in a competitive environment. Searle wants to give everybody a quality experience no matter their age, experience and ability. Sometimes groups of girls she takes to a course end up rolling down hills, throwing balls out of bunkers or making Tik Toks. Teen fluro days and children and parents events have also been well received. She was named Golf New Zealand’s Adminstrator of the Year in 2023.

Sharlee Mareikura

Sharlee Mareikura dedicates her time to the coastal community by training rangatahi in rugby league as well as playing and supporting the Coastal Cobras and playing for iwi teams. She is a kaiako (teacher) that goes above and beyond her role at the kohanga and goes that extra mile to make sure rangatahi are involved in sport.

Maurice Shaw

By coaching and supporting hundreds of young cricketers for nearly 40 years Maurice ‘Mo’ Shaw has made a massive difference to cricket in Waitara. From recruiting players and parents, coaching, scoring, ground maintenance or umpiring, he does it all. There is nothing he loves seeing more than all three playing blocks being played on at the same time with the BBQ’s in full swing and cars parked around the boundaries. Every child who wants to take part is well catered for and he has funded equipment and sports trips many times over the years. He was also instrumental in setting up the Waitara Hooked on Cricket programme to support those who may not have had the financial means to play. He has managed Taranaki Age Group teams over the years and organized the Central Districts Under 14 tournaments in 2013 and 2014. He won the Sir Jack Newman Award at NZ Cricket Awards Evening in March 2023.

Article added: Thursday 23 November 2023