Bay Hockey players celebrated

Bayley’s Otumoetai player Cory Bruin was named Tauranga Men’s Player of the Year. Photos: Stephanie Martelli/Peace of Love Photography.

The inaugural Tauranga Hockey Association Awards Evening was held last week at Club Mount Maunganui.

The evening was designed to recognise achievements throughout the season and reward the players, supporters, officials, coaches and volunteers that have worked so hard to create such a successful year.

New Zealand's fastest man, Joseph Millar was the guest speaker and gave some insights on what it takes to improve year on year and be a top-level athlete.

Hockey in the Tauranga is getting stronger every year with a greater number of people involved in the game and the quality of players improving. This has been shown in our results locally and nationally.

Taking out the big awards at the end of the night were Bayley's Otumoetai player Cory Bruin who was named Tauranga Men's Player of the Year and CMS Mount Maunganui player Kate Savory who was awarded the Tauranga Women's Player of the Year.

Both players have had big seasons for their club teams with Savory going on to represent Midlands in the Ford National Hockey League that took out the tournament.

CMS Mount Maunganui player Kate Savory was name Tauranga Women's Player of the Year.

An International Player of the Year was awarded to a player who has participated in the Black Sticks or Junior Black Sticks over the past 12 months and has had at least a two affiliation with the Association during their career.

This was awarded to Samantha Carlton who has had a stellar season on the World Stage and was recently named in the Vantage Women's Black Sticks team to contest the World League finals in November.

The Junior Player of the Year Awards went to Bethany Millar and William Gourley who both had strong seasons for their respective schools and then went on to represent the Midlands Under 18 teams at the National tournament.

Under 18 Coaches Amanda Meys and Mark Leach were awarded Female and Male Coach of the Year, while Brooke Johnson and Terry Furmage took out the Female and Male Umpire of the Year.

There was a special award presented to Roger Child for more than 15 years of service to officiating in the Tauranga Association. Roger has decided to hang up his whistle this season and his humour and rapport with the players will be sorely missed.

Monique Eades was awarded the Volunteer of the Year for all the hard work she has put in to various areas of the game throughout the season, including chairing the Kwik Sticks and Representative committees.

The night also recognised the following milestones that were achieved throughout the season:

  • Caroline Bigham won the 2016 Administrator of the Year award at the Hockey New Zealand awards dinner in May this year.
  • Kelly Hudson received her golden whistle for umpiring her 100th international game during the Indian series earlier this year. She was also named Hockey New Zealand's 2016 Female Umpire of the Year.
  • Rose Keddell played her 150th test match for the Black Sticks during the Festival of Hockey in Hawke's Bay in April this year
  • Samantha Charlton played her 200th test match for the Black Sticks just three weeks ago against Papua New Guinea during the Oceania Cup tournament held in Australia.
  • Gemma McCaw announced her international retirement following the Ford NHL tournament. Gemma played 246 Internationals for the Black Sticks after making her debut in 2008. She scored 71 goals for her country and attended 3 Olympic Games. Tauranga Hockey congratulates Gemma on a wonderful career and wishes her all the best with her future endeavours

Award Winners:

Player Awards

  • Tauranga Women's Player of the Year - Kate Savory – CMS Mount Maunganui
  • Tauranga Men's Player of the Year - Cory Bruin – Bayleys Otumoetai
  • Tauranga Junior Women's Player of the Year - Bethany Millar – Tauranga Girls College & CMS Mount Maunganui
  • Tauranga Junior Men's Player of the Year - William Gourley – Tauranga Boys College
  • International Player of the Year - Samantha Charlton

Intercity Grade

  • Tauranga Women's Intercity Team of the Year - CMS Mount Maunganui
  • Tauranga Men's Intercity Team of the Year - Bayleys Otumoetai
  • Tauranga Women's Club Intercity Player of the Year - Dani Maunder – Otumoetai
  • Tauranga Men's Club Intercity Player of the Year - Cory Bruin – Bayleys Otumoetai

Senior Reserve Grade

  • Merryweather Cup winners of the round 1 Women's Competition -Otumoetai Gold
  • McCrae Barry Cup winners of the round 2 Women's Competition -Otumoetai Gold
  • Kiwifruit Cup winners of the round 1 Men's Competition -Tauranga Boy College 1st XI
  • Kent Cup winners of the round 2 Men's Competition - Shared – Mount Studs and Mount Mavericks

Coaching Awards

  • Small Sticks Female Coach of the Year - Megan Richards
  • Small Sticks Male Coach of the Year - Jitu Patel
  • Secondary School Female Coach of the Year - Juliet Dunlop-Fraser
  • Secondary School Male Coach of the Year - Steve Graham
  • Female Coach of the Year - Amanda Meys
  • Male Coach of the Year - Mark Leach

Umpiring Awards

  • Female Umpire of the Year - Brooke Johnson
  • Male Umpire of the Year - Terry Furmage
  • Junior Female Umpire of the Year – Zoe McCaul
  • Junior Male Umpire of the Year – Daniel O'Connor
  • Service to Umpiring – Phil Gillanders

Volunteer of the Year - Monique Eades

Roy Osman Trophy (contribution to Masters Hockey) - Janine Williamson

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