08.04.2006
HAMISH BIDWELL
They're the little judo club that could.
The club that manages to brush off its isolation, scant numbers and resources to consistently foot it with the best in this country and beyond. They're the humble Napier Judo Club and they've done Hawke's Bay proud once again.
Led by the outstanding Hogan Green, Napier won a swag of medals at the recent East Coast Area Championships across all grades in what was one of the big events in the national calendar.
Committee members Rob Green and Mike Swaysland wouldn't go as far as describe themselves as shocked but, like their fighters, they were still pleasantly surprised by their medal haul.
"We're the only club in Hawke's Bay, there's just us - Napier," said Swaysland.
'The nearest club is Dannevirke and they're a bit hit and miss so we have to travel pretty regularly to get any competition. There were kids from Auckland, all the way down to Wellington, and everywhere in between, at the tournament - even development squads from Samoa, Nauru and Papua New Guinea.
"There were just so many kids from Auckland and they all have a dozen or more other clubs up there to compete and train against. We probably have to travel away every couple of months but, to be honest, it depends on what we've got in our pockets.
"We car pool and we get support from Pub Charity and wonderful sponsors like Enza Foods."
Lucia Powrie and Findlay Dick won gold in the junior girls 28kg and under and junior boys 32kg and under grades, respectively, but it was Green who really excelled. He took two titles in the men's 15 to 17-year-old division, before stepping up to win another in the 17 to 19s.
In doing so, he was awarded the greatest accolade of all - best overall performance.
"Yeah, he was the fighter of the tournament," said proud father Rob.
"But, to be honest, as a committee we're just glad that all the kids who competed did well."
Led by the outstanding Hogan Green, Napier won a swag of medals at the recent East Coast Area Championships across all grades in what was one of the big events in the national calendar.
Committee members Rob Green and Mike Swaysland wouldn't go as far as describe themselves as shocked but, like their fighters, they were still pleasantly surprised by their medal haul.
"We're the only club in Hawke's Bay, there's just us - Napier," said Swaysland.
'The nearest club is Dannevirke and they're a bit hit and miss so we have to travel pretty regularly to get any competition. There were kids from Auckland, all the way down to Wellington, and everywhere in between, at the tournament - even development squads from Samoa, Nauru and Papua New Guinea.
"There were just so many kids from Auckland and they all have a dozen or more other clubs up there to compete and train against. We probably have to travel away every couple of months but, to be honest, it depends on what we've got in our pockets.
"We car pool and we get support from Pub Charity and wonderful sponsors like Enza Foods."
Lucia Powrie and Findlay Dick won gold in the junior girls 28kg and under and junior boys 32kg and under grades, respectively, but it was Green who really excelled. He took two titles in the men's 15 to 17-year-old division, before stepping up to win another in the 17 to 19s.
In doing so, he was awarded the greatest accolade of all - best overall performance.
"Yeah, he was the fighter of the tournament," said proud father Rob.
"But, to be honest, as a committee we're just glad that all the kids who competed did well."
Nenhum comentário:
Postar um comentário