Former New Zealand league player Kevin Tamati is helping to inspire young sports people to think big with his new radio show – Te Hotaka Waka Takaro on Radio Kahungunu.
"It's pure entertainment," he says with a laugh "I've always enjoyed talking."
Tamati has been hitting the airwaves with his new weekly live show every Saturday from 10am – 11am and then replayed the following Friday from 11-12pm.
"Hopefully the kids and parents are open enough to realise that the people I'm talking to have made it to the top because of the things that they have done.
"They haven't just sat on their butts, they've gone out there and done it," he says.
He got his first test cap in 1979 when wearing the Kiwi jersey and played professionally throughout the early 1980s.
He also played for the NZ Maori League team and was selected for the Great Britain Tour when he was just 18 which was held in Rotorua.
"Prior to that I was going to be an All Black, I was going to be the next Waka Nathan as far as I was concerned, but I ended up playing league instead."
As an experienced league player he turned his hand to coaching various international teams when he retired from the game professionally.
"It's been a great lifestyle and for me now, it's trying to get our rangatahi [youth] out there whether it be male or female; if they forge a career out of professional sport regardless of what the sport is they'll never ever regret it.
"That's the kind of korero I have with all our guests on the show, I ask them to tell the stories of how they managed to get selected, how they got involved, that type of thing."
Now 65, it's the first time he has ever had a radio show and will be learning all the technical tricks of the trade as he takes charge of the driver's seat.
He says his show will definitely have an international flavour of sportsmen and women that have succeeded in their chosen sport.
The show will have a mix of international heroes and local success stories as well with the hope that those who are listening will be inspired to chase their dreams.
Radio Kahungunu can be found on the AM frequency 765khz and covers the wider Kahungunu area from Wairoa to Porangahau and even Dannevirke.
It also broadcasts on 94.3FM in the urban areas of Napier and Hastings and has a listenership of around 20,000 people.