Reflecting on 2024: A Year of Development and Growth
The year 2024 was truly been a year of development for both our athletes and the programme team. When I talk about development, I mean gaining a deeper understanding of each athlete’s sport—what they need and where to focus their efforts to improve. The RaiseMyGame tools have been a valuable resource in this process, providing essential support for our athletes' progression.
We've also taken a holistic approach by considering who each athlete is, what their unique needs are, and encouraging them to take ownership of their journey. This is a significant step, particularly for those transitioning from school to university, as they move into the next phase of their lives.
Another important area of reflection has been the continued focus on our female athletes and the specific support they need to excel, particularly in relation to female athlete health. Moving into 2025, this will remain a key priority as we aim to offer even greater support to our young wahine and rangatahi, ensuring they have the best opportunities to succeed while creating strong foundations for their futures.
As an organisation, we’ve come a long way in three years. We’ve provided a platform for Tayla, a former athlete, to join the programme team, marking a full-circle moment as she now shares her experiences with our new Mid Canterbury participants. We've also created space for Sam to enhance our strength and conditioning support, and welcomed Jo, whose extensive background in administration, finance, and funding has been invaluable.
In addition, we’ve expanded our specialist support networks, ensuring we can wrap around our participants and provide them with the tailored support they need.
Among our Canterbury athletes, there are too many success stories to name, but I want to highlight some exciting milestones for 2025. We have athletes starting their studies at the University of Canterbury and Lincoln University, and it’s fantastic to see them balancing their dual careers as students and athletes. There are others continuing their secondary education while working hard on their sports, and some athletes are focusing solely on their sporting careers, finding the right balance between training and competing. It’s truly inspiring to witness their commitment and progress.
Looking ahead to 2025, I’m eager to continue developing our team, including Taylor, Sam, Jo, and myself, and to seek additional support to enhance how we best serve our athletes. We’ll focus on further strengthening our support for those at university and continue to develop our female athlete health programme.
We’ve recently partnered with CoachNow to improve our communication process, ensuring we can better support our athletes moving forward. From an organisational perspective, we’re working hard to secure sustainable funding, which will allow us to ensure a long-term future and help even more rangatahi along their journeys.
We’re committed to continuous growth—both as athletes and as support staff within the Tatai Whetu Waitaha programme. I’m excited about what lies ahead in 2025 and look forward to continuing this journey with all of you.
Ged Robinson
Programme Lead
