Marie is Junior Sport in Cambridge, she is so passionate about our kids being active, playing sport and enjoying it. Helping kids learn and improve skills and play sport with smiles on their faces is what drives her to do all she does. Marie administers and runs the Cambridge Junior Hockey module, the Hautapu Junior Touch Module along with organising the teams for Hautapu sports for these codes.
Cambridge Mini Hockey has grown to 47 teams this season, over 400 junior hockey superstars playing and enjoying their hockey each week. Marie has helped train the umpires, supported them and always has their back. She coaches 4 teams so that the players don’t miss out. Marie has really pushed the Sportsmanship points system she implemented, this system is there to help players, coaches, supporters and umpires realise that junior hockey is not about competition, not about winning or losing but about developing a love of sport for our children and being good sports and positive with it.
Marie restarted the Hautapu Sports Junior Touch Module after a break due to COVID, in term 4 of 2022 there were 54 teams registered and playing in the module, an amazing over 500 junior superstars playing each and every Friday in Summer, with smiles on their faces having fun and being active. Marie also organises young referees and helps train and support them to learn and improve their refereeing skills.
With all she does Marie is approachable, friendly and always happy to do what she can to ensure our youth are able to play and enjoy their sports.
On top of running these two sports for our community by herself she also sorts all the teams, coaches, managers and resources for Hockey and Touch at Hautapu Sports Club.
Marie is a superstar, so many of our community directly benefit from her enthusiasm, passion and commitment to children playing and enjoying sport.
Waikato Hockey - For her work with Cambridge Mini Hockey. Marie was awarded the Reece Hodgson Memorial Cup for Service to Waikato hockey at their 2023 Senior Prizegiving.
Hautapu Sports Club - Marie runs and organises their 32 Junior Hockey teams and 34 Junior Touch teams, dealing with the players, coaches, managers and parents. She also runs the Junior touch module. Alongwith her work with in the Junior Sport space Marie does all the administration required for the Club’s senior rugby teams.
Cambridge Netball Centre - Marie is a bench official and Bench Manager for the centre at their Premier League on Wednesday nights.
Waikato Rugby - Marie is a Team Manager for the Waikato U16 Girls Rugby team
The Sportsmanship Points System that Marie has implemented into Cambridge Mini Hockey has greatly improved on and off field behaviour and attitudes. The parents and supporters know that their behaviour and attitude can affect their child’s team points and finally this year we have seen mainly positive comments and behaviour from our supporters.
The umpires feel safer without the negativity there has been in the past. The players no longer have to listen to the coaching coming from the supporters and can concentrate on their game and their coach.
Marie will be implementing this same system into the Junior Touch Module and Im sure through this she will see positive change there too.
SPORTSMANSHIP & FAIRPLAY
0 or 1 point for the supporters. This is a 0 or 1 point decision, if all supporters are supportive and positive towards all players, coaches, managers and the umpires 1 point, if one parent is not, 0 points.
0 or 1 point for the sideline (coach, manager, substitute players) This is a 0 or 1 point decision, if the sideline are supportive and positive towards all players and the umpires 1 point, if one person is not, 0 points.
0, 1, 2 or 3 points for the on field players.Umpires will be looking at how players listen and react toward the umpiring, how they play as a team and all other attributes of sportsmanship and fairplay.
Marie creates a positive atmosphere in all she is involved with to do with sport, especially junior sport. She works hard and nothing is a problem for her, she is passionate to get as many of our youth involved in sport, whether as players or umpires/referees and she gives her all to ensure a positive experience for everyone.
She is there to answer questions from parents, give help and support to coaches and managers and encourage players. She coached 4 junior hockey teams so that the players did not miss out.
The Seventh Day Adventist school joined Hockey last year and continue to play. Marie ensures that their games are early enough so as to ensure the teams are finished by sundown to fit with their Sabbath, this means those players do not miss out.
Marie will move mountains to help kids get into sport and continue to play sport!
The comments you hear at both sports, the conversations and the atmospheres are all positive and watching so many kids being active, playing and loving sport is testament to what Marie is doing.
I have spoken to some of the hockey umpires and they are so grateful that Marie has their back and helps, supports and stands up for them.
Marie calls the last day of Mini Hockey “a dress up day”, and the kids, coaches and supporters are encouraged to dress up and have fun with it. Marie doesn’t leave it to the kids, she was there is her purple tutu and purple wig, the kids, in fact everyone loved the fact that Marie gets involved and shows herself having fun!
Having both Mini Hockey and Junior Touch increase player and team numbers in the last year is proof that Marie knows what she is doing and is instrumental in so many children playing sport with smiles on their faces!
