National Awards Finalists

Squash New Zealand are pleased to announce the finalists for the National Coaching Awards, the Club of the Year Award and the Volunteer of the Year Award. All winners will be announced at the Squash New Zealand Awards Ceremony on Friday 27 November at the Jet Park Conference Centre in Auckland.

National Coaching Awards

There are many different types of squash coaches in New Zealand operating in different ways across a range of environments and the National Coaching Awards recognises the important role these people play in growing a love for the game.   

The finalists for each Coaching Award category are listed below (in alphabetical order):

New Coach of the Year

• Matthew Laurenson (Central)
• Keri Rhodes (Northland)
• Tracy Widdon (Canterbury)

Club and School Coach of the Year

• John Brown (Canterbury)
• Annie Greene (Northland)
• Tracy Mitchell (BOP)
• John Roestenberg (Central)
• Jarrod van Driel (Auckland)
• Manu Yam (Auckland)

Performance Coach of the Year

• Mike Allred (Canterbury)
• Nick Mita (Wellington)
• Kashif Shuja (Central)
• Glen Wilson (Northland)

Club of the Year

The Club of the Year Award was established in 1998, is open to all affiliated squash clubs within New Zealand and recognises a clubs' valuable contribution, good practice and achievement in the delivery of community squash. Like last year the respective District winners were automatic finalists for the national honour with 9 out of 11 Districts taking part and giving their clubs the opportunity for the title.

The finalists (in alphabetical order):

• Franklin SC (Auckland)
• Leamington SC (Waikato)
• Mt Maunganui SC (BOP)
• Ohakune SC (Central)

The other nominees for the national award were:

• Christchurch SC (Canterbury)
• Cromwell SC (Otago)
• Kamo SC (Northland)
• Mana SC (Wellington)
• Squash City Invercargill (Southland)

Volunteer of the Year

The Volunteer of the Year Award was established in 2012 and rewards outstanding contribution from a volunteer who has willingly provided their time and effort to make squash happen in their local community. Districts opened up nominations locally and their winners automatically became finalists for the National Award. 

The finalists (in alphabetical order):

• Don McDonald (Cromwell SC, Otago)
• Karyn Flett (Squash City Invercargll, Southland)
• John Laurenson (Ohakune SC, Central)
• Brooke Mckee-Topless (Taupo SC, Bay of Plenty)

The other nominees for the national award were:

• Greg Atkins (Christchurch SC, Canterbury)
• Denese Gallagher (Whangarei SC, Northland)
• Barry Kavanaugh (Hamilton Squash & Tennis, Waikato)
• Simon Yorker (Kapiti SC, Wellington)

Congratulations to all shortlisted finalists and thank you to all those who took the time to nominate their club, volunteers and/or coaches. For more information about the awards, please click here.