On this episode of The Sideline Yak, we sit down with long-time Gisborne judo coach Jason King.

Jason shares his journey from starting judo as a four-year-old to producing Olympians, national champs, and over 20 black belts, all from right here in Gizzy.

It’s a kōrero packed with reflections on legacy, coaching with heart, and what it means to build a club culture where people feel like they belong.

Whether it’s sharing stories of his dad, his coaching philosophy, or why judo is still his happy place after all these years—this one’s full of great messages and grounded wisdom.

Please enjoy, kia ora!

Finger Tape Podcast (Paul Jefferson) - Jason King episode

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4lZA72ZnTU7Thfc6N9f7jy?si=e9a7acfada5848fb

We’ve got an epic guest today, a proud Gisborne local who’s made a name for herself on the world surfing stage—Olympian Saffi Vette. She’s gone head-to-head with the best in the sport, proudly worn the silver fern, and even taken on Teahupo’o—one of the heaviest and most dangerous waves in the world.

Her journey hasn’t been easy—she’s faced the highs and lows of elite sport, the heartbreak of losing her dad, and the challenges of dyslexia. But with resilience, determination, and a deep love for the ocean, she’s carved out her place in the sport, overcoming obstacles and achieving incredible milestones along the way.

We chat about what it means to represent Aotearoa, the mental game behind elite competition, and the lessons she’s learned from both success and struggle. From growing up in Gizzy, where local legends inspired her, to figuring out how to balance the pressure of competing with the simple joy of surfing, this is an honest and inspiring yak.

So, kick back, grab a cuppa, and enjoy this episode with Saffi.

Kia ora.

On this episode, we are joined by Lizzie Hall and Lee Smith, two coaches who will be familiar to our football community. Lizzie and Lee have been involved with football both from a young age, Lizzie starting here in Gisborne and Lee over in the UK.

They are passionate about football, you will either see them playing, officiating and coaching most weekends, potentially doing all three over a weekend. They are strong advocates for the improvement of female football here in Te Tairawhiti, and have both previously worked for Central Football in the development space.

We talk to them about their early years, what got them into coaching, and who their influences were. We also take a look at women’s football here and discuss what we can do to better support it, including touching on the rep programme and the challenges our district faces. Plus, we answer the big question, "Why is it called football and soccer?" and explore the origin of why football is known as "The Beautiful Game."

We are almost at the end of our first series of The Sideline Yak, and we would love to get your feedback. We want to know what you liked and what you didn’t. If you know someone from Te Tairāwhiti who would make a great guest, let us know. Feel free to share your thoughts with us by emailing the [email protected].

For now, let’s get back to the show. Please enjoy this episode with Lizzy and Lee. Kia ora!

In this episode, I sit down with Diana Dobson, also known as Dobbie, an award-winning journalist and photographer whose career spans various sports, with a particular passion for horses. Diana's impressive resume includes coverage of three World Equestrian Championships, Burghley, Equitana, and multiple Horse of the Year events. 

But Diana's accomplishments don't stop there. She served as a press attaché at the Rio Olympic Games, followed by the Tokyo Olympics, and is gearing up for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. In between, she covered the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in Australia and the Birmingham Commonwealth Games from home. 

During our conversation, Diana offers valuable insights into her work, sharing stories of her interactions with high-profile athletes like Mark Todd, Lisa Carrington, and Laurel Hubbard. We discuss her journey into sports journalism, the intricacies of her roles as a media liaison and press attaché, and the evolving landscape of sports coverage. 

Diana shares her experiences from the various events she's covered, recounting both the triumphs and challenges she's encountered alongside athletes. Our conversation explores the significance of respect, trust, and relationship-building in effectively conveying athletes' stories, touching upon the crucial topic of mental wellbeing among athletes. She offers valuable advice to aspiring athletes on navigating media engagements. And of course, no conversation with Diana would be complete without mention of her beloved English bull terrier, Louie. 

It took some persuasion, but I'm delighted that Diana has shared her story with us. Her journey is not only inspiring but also a testament to the dedication and passion she brings to her work. And with her continued commitment, there are certainly more awesome stories yet to come, so please enjoy.  

Kia ora!

On today’s show we chat with New Zealand international sports star Trish Hina, better known as 'Chockee'. Trish has represented New Zealand in four sports – softball, touch, rugby union and rugby league.  

Trish has been described as arguably one of New Zealand's greatest sportswoman, winning three women's rugby league World Cups  and being named MVP in two of those tournaments. Trish was then selected into the 2010 Black Ferns World Cup squad who went on to win that tournament becoming the first women to win a league and a union World Cup. She was inducted into the NZ Rugby League Legends of League and has the honour of having the MVP medal named after her for the NRL Indigenous All Stars rugby league event. 

Trish faced a major life challenge in 2011 when she was diagnosed with Stage-4 Kidney Disease ending her high performance career, but like anything Trish puts her mind to, she was able to overcome adversity and was back playing competitive sport in 2020 when she returned to rugby league for the National Women's Championship. 

We chat with Trish about her nickname and how that came about and the influence her family and friends had on her growing up through her love for sport. We discuss the secret sauce that got her to the international stage and how culture is an important part of sport, both as a player and a coach. 

Trish shares the feelings she had when diagnosed with CKD and how she was able to maintain a good mindset to get her back on the field. We also discuss how giving back through coaching has provided opportunities for other young wahine to play sport, either for fun or to go on to greater aspirations. 

Trish's impressive CV is backed up by resilience, generosity and kindness which is evident within our kōrero, and we are truly grateful to be able to share her story with you today, so please enjoy. 

Kia ora. 

www.whitiora.org.nz

Welcome back to our segment of The Sideline Yak . . . Chronicles of a Coach, where we get three coaches in a room and discuss topics related to sport!

On this episode I sit down with Arna Majstrovic, Rose Hulls and Kelly Swann-Ferris, three teacher coaches who have worked in and around community and high performance sport and teach PE and Health. They have been involved across a wide range of sports including surf lifesaving, netball, football, swimming and waka ama.

Our kōrero covers what sport looked like for them growing up, their influences, why they got into coaching and we touch on discipline and resilience. We also discuss trials and selections, coaching females, and how we can normalise conversations about periods, hormones and the menstrual cycle.

This was a cool conversation and something I think we need to be discussing more, especially female health in sport. The more education on this topic, the more opportunities we have to create positive sporting experiences for our coaches and athletes.

One last thing... I paraphrased a book in our conversation, so just wanted to acknowledge the book and the author, The Spartan Mindset - Mastering the language of excellence by Reed Maltbie. It's a great book!

If you have a topic that you would like discussed next time on Chronicles of a Coach, please email us at the address in our episode description. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this episode with Arna, Rose and Kelly. Kia ora!

As always if you liked this episode of The Sideline Yak please feel free to rate or review us.

https://thesidelineyak.alitu.com/ 

https://sportgisborne.org.nz/ 

On today’s show we chat with Ngati Porou East Coast rugby captain and King in the Ring kickboxing champ, Sam Parkes.

Sam is sired to the coast, in particular Tolaga Bay which he calls home. He plays rugby for Uawa Sports Club and represents Ngati Porou East Coast in the Heartland competition. Sam shares a unique record with team mate Verdon Bartlett as the only two players to have won the Meads Cup, Lochore Cup and Bill Osborne Taonga. In 2022 he received the Ian Kirkpatrick medal for outstanding contribution on behalf of professional players both on and off the field. He also played through the longest first-class losing streak in NZ Rugby losing 54 consecutive matches from 2013-2021

Kickboxing is another area where Sam has excelled, in 2022 he won the super light heavyweight 80kg category at NZ's K1 kickboxing tournament, King in the Ring.

We chat with Sam about growing up on the farm in a small community. How sport was something that kept him focussed and provided enjoyment. He reflects on how a poor decision returned him home to the path he was meant to be on. 

We discuss how his brother’s influence got him playing rugby for the Coast, the ups and down of his playing career and also what makes the Coast so special. 

Sam shares insights into his kickboxing career, the transition from team sports into individual sports at a late age, winning the King in the Ring title and how his last tournament was a real challenge.

His passion and commitment to the coast is unwavering and his story is a great reflection of an athlete who never gives up.

As always please share this far and wide and if you love what we are doing feel free to leave us a review

Kia ora.

Today on the show we chat with Sydnee Andrews, judo athlete and Commonwealth Games bronze medalist.

Sydnee started judo when she was 5 years old and has rapidly made a name for herself on the national and international stage. Relocating to the United Kingdom, Sydnee is based out of Camberley Judo Club, one of the UK's top judo clubs.

Her grit, determination and drive has provided some outstanding results. Along with her bronze at the Commonwealth Games, her latest efforts saw her create history by being  the first NZ judoka to medal at an International Judo Federation tour event – a bronze medal at the Zagreb Grand Prix. 

Sydnee shares with us her love of the sport and the values that judo brings to her. We discuss the Tairāwhiti Rising Legends programme and how it has had a positive effect on her career.

We talk about the processes she takes to prepare for matches, looking after the mind and how rest and recovery are key areas of focus for her and how, more importantly, taking that time to just be herself.

Sydnee describes what it was like to win the bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games and also reflects on her results for this year and what the future looks like.

This is an insightful journey into the life of Sydnee's career, her challenges from school days, to her history-making achievements on the world-stage. Now at the age of 21, Sydnee has her sights firmly set on the Olympics and 2024 looks to be an exciting year!

Ngā mihi o te tau hou! Happy New Year and thank you all our listeners, see you next year, we will be back with more sporting personalities from right here in Te Tairāwhiti. 

If you enjoyed this episode of The Sideline Yak please feel free to rate or review us.

https://thesidelineyak.alitu.com/ 

https://sportgisborne.org.nz/ 

Welcome to a new segment of The Sideline Yak . . . Chronicles of a Coach! 

We wanted to test something out a little bit different this time . . . we were curious to know what would happen if we got three coaches in a room and talked sport – where would it take us, what would be discussed?!?   

I was fortunate enough to sit down with Keenan Ruru-Poharama, Adrian Sparks and Adam Tapsell, three seasoned coaches who volunteer across all areas of basketball – coaching, officiating, governance and playing.  

These three volunteers know their craft, from time with the Rising Suns, coaching age-group levels, officiating, and developing players right here in our own backyard. 

Our kōrero covers team culture, understanding your athlete, how we engage youth, and reflecting on lessons learned all tied together with some great banter. 

I may be biased but this was special! This was another honest and real discussion about what coaches are doing on the ground at a grass roots level right here in Tairāwhiti. My hope is that others get to listen to this, we share it and have these types of conversations to help build a community of best practice. It’s a journey whanau. We don’t expect to get everything right but if we are learning and adapting then great things will happen.  

Whāia te mātauranga hei oranga mō koutou.

Seek after learning for the sake of your wellbeing . . . basically if you follow the path of learning, the world will be your oyster.

We will look to make Chronicles of a Coach a regular episode every three months, but in the meantime please enjoy this episode with Keenan, Sparksy and Adam. Kia ora!

If you enjoyed this episode of The Sideline Yak please feel free to rate or review us.

https://thesidelineyak.alitu.com/ 

https://sportgisborne.org.nz/ 

Miah Nikora currently works for the Poverty Bay Rugby Union as the Game Development Officer. He is the head coach of the Poverty Bay Heartland rugby team and is the assistant coach of the 2023 NZ Heartland XV rugby team.

We talk about his new vocation as a coach but more importantly Miah takes us on a journey of his career as a professional rugby player. How the love of the game and wanting to make his family proud set him on a path starting at Gisborne Boys' High School, into the National Age Group scene, through the New Zealand NPC competition and then overseas playing in Ireland and Italy.

Miah shares his stories of this incredible time in his life, the dedication to make it as a professional rugby player and the setbacks that occurred through non-selection and injuries. We discuss how he overcame adversity through a positive mindset and confronting these challenges head-on.

We chat about the support of his family, his reflections on his career and his natural move into the rugby coaching space.

This is a great listen for coaches, parents and especially aspiring athletes.

Kia manahau - enjoy!

If you enjoyed this episode of The Sideline Yak please feel free to rate or review us.

https://thesidelineyak.alitu.com/ 

https://sportgisborne.org.nz/