Te Awamutu Rowing Club’s new life members, Wayne Asplin and Ray Ormsby. Photo: Tony Edmondson.
Alya Mexted is Te Awamutu Rowing Club’s inaugural winner of a best coach trophy awarded in honour of club stalwart Clive Steenson.
Steenson was described as the “backbone” of Te Awamutu Rowing Club for more than 50 years and his long-time partner, Sue, and daughter Marsha presented the trophy at the club’s 2023 prize giving on Sunday.
Steenson died in 2021.
At the same ceremony, the club named two new life members – one, its president Ray Ormsby, the other Wayne Asplin.
Mexted, in only her second year of coaching, trained her under-18 novice crews to achieve finals at North Island Secondary Schools and Maadi Cup regattas.
Alya Mexted, the inaugural winner of a trophy for best coach, gifted by Clive Steenson’s family. Tony Edmondson.
In gifting the trophy, Marsha spoke of her father’s love of rowing, and of the time he spent at the club – joking that taking up rowing was the only way she and her sister Yvette could spend time with their dad when they were teenagers.
President, and now life member, Ray Ormsby first came to the club as a parent who quickly got involved.
After supporting his children as they rowed, Ray took up the sport himself, competing as a master including at the 2017 World Masters Games.
Joining the club in 1997, Ormsby has been president for much of that time.
“Ray quietly guides the club from the sidelines, but is always available to sort out any problems,” captain, Tony Edmondson, said.
In his acceptance speech, Ormsby dedicated his life membership to all club members, past and present, who have made the club successful.Asplin came to the club as a parent in 2002 when his daughter started rowing.
Initially the “taxi-driver” for early morning training, he soon started helping out.
As a successful school rower himself, he put this experience into coaching – initially under Steenson’s guidance and latterly taking the lead in coaching school and masters crews.
Remembering Steenson with great fondness, Asplin spoke of his dedication to rowing and the club, and of Steenson’s understated way of coaching.
With “rowing in his blood” Asplin thanked the club, and his wife Cathy for her support.
Edmondson said among the rowing trophies, one in particular deserved special mention.
Heni Hongara was awarded the Club Spirit trophy for looking after club athletes, coaches and supporters at major school regattas.
“All of our parents were very supportive, but it was Heni who stood out as the one who was there first in the morning, had drinks and food available throughout the day and gave her total support to all the crews,” he said.
Prize winners:
First year woman rower: Alyssa Campbell. Ladies’ novice rowing cup: Isla Joyce, Asarina Johnson, Janaiah Jacob and Casey-Lee Baker. Most promising woman rower: Lolkje de Boer. Best schoolgirl rower: Asarina Johnson. Best first year oarsman: Willem Poolman. Most promising oarsman: William James. Best schoolboy rower: William James. Most improved rower: Hunter Coleman. Best club crew: Asarina Johnson and Casey-Lee Baker. Most improved master rower: Jess Adlam. Most dedicated master rower: Wendy Reynolds. Coxswain’s cup: Sophie Dale and Carys Joyce. Sportsmanship cup: Alyssa Campbell, Millie Thackray, Sophie Dale and Ella Thackray. Club spirit trophy: Heni Hongara. Clive Steenson – best coach: Alya Mexted.
Heni Hongara was awarded the Club Spirit trophy.
Photo: Tony Edmondson.
Cathy and Wayne Asplin and Ray and Kristine Ormsby. Photo: Tony Edmondson.
