A rising hockey star from Kaikohe and his trophy-amassing team have been honoured by a member of New Zealand's Olympic hockey squad.
Black Stick Brooke Neal, of Whangarei, dropped in to Kaikohe Christian School yesterday as part of an Olympic Committee effort to get Kiwi Olympians out to every corner of the country.
The school chose Ms Neal because of her Northland origins and because the students are hockey-mad. She talked to students about goal-setting and her path to Rio, and presented awards to the school's top achievers - not least 16-year-old Rio Komene-Pou, who captains the hockey team.
Under Rio's leadership the Kaikohe Christian School Crusaders have won more trophies than teacher and hockey co-ordinator Trish Vesey can keep track of.
Rio also plays for the Maungakaramea under-18s and the New Zealand Maori squad.