It’s that special time of year again, where we acknowledge and celebrate our local sporting successes through the Wairarapa Times-Age Sports Awards. Covering the period 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023, the awards celebrate the sporting achievements and contributions of the sports communities in our region.

WBS is very proud to once again be supporting the annual Sports Awards, by sponsoring the Coach of the Year Award for 2023. Through this award, we pay tribute to the hundreds of dedicated sports coaches and mentors who volunteer their time to sports teams, individuals and clubs in our region. Sport is a great metaphor for life, as the saying goes ‘a good coach can change a game, a great coach can change a life’.

Wairarapa boasts a rich sporting history with locals who started out on our very own frosty fields, courts, turfs and roads to rise through the ranks to represent New Zealand on some of the best sporting platforms in the world. Most would attribute their successes to an influential person who guided part of their journey.

WBS was thrilled to congratulate the 2022 Coach of the Year winner, Katherine Reisima. In her first year as player-coach, Katherine successfully coached Dalefield to defeat some extremely tough competition to win the Wellington Premier Championship for the second year in a row. As sponsors of the Dalefield Hockey Club, we at WBS are ecstatic to recognise the strong position this club is in, with their obvious depth of talent in players and coaches.

Who will it be this year?

From nominations received, four finalists have been named in the WBS Coach of the Year category. Congratulations to Cameron Lindsay (Football), Keely Riwai-Couch (Netball), Mark Harris (Athletics) and Russell Geange (Swimming). Voting papers are available in the Wairarapa Times Age everyday until 3 May 2023, so get your copy and make your vote count.

The prestigious Wairarapa Times-Age Sports Awards ceremony will be held on Thursday 8 June 2023 at 6pm, at the Carterton Events Centre.