Marcus Agnew
I've spoken before about Hawke's Bay's ability to produce talent - we have the perfect environment for it, a great climate and the right-sized towns for producing natural athletes. What we don't yet have is the system and centre required to convert that talent into its full high-performance potential.
Another major strength our region has, aside from the climatic and geographical makeup, is our great blend of cultures. Steven Adams is all the rage in the USA at the moment, as he is playing a leading role in driving the Oklahoma City Thunder toward the NBA final - and what a great example he is of the talent we have in New Zealand, emerging out of a regional city, and a magnificent blend of a Tongan mother and English father.
If you haven't heard of Steven Adams, have a look in the mirror and ask yourself, "What the hell am I doing here?" Then have a look on Google.
The real power of our high achievers, like Adams, is in the impact they can have on our wider communities - inspiring our youth into positive pathways. And this is where we need to wake up in regard to funding and supporting emerging athletes.
All too often we hear that "elitist" call, "Oh no we can't fund those athletes!" Well, it's not just about those athletes, it's the role-modelling they do. In Adams' case he's inspiring half the damn planet.
So, in opting not to provide for development support for budding talent, we are actively holding them back. They won't go on to be their best, and won't be in a position to inspire our communities. It's the tall-poppy syndrome (albeit subtly).
Rather than developing inspired well-rounded leaders, we create more frustrated disenfranchised youth looking for something to do.
To supplement his great talent, Adams has acquired the discipline of work ethic and the focus to chase his dream - no doubt gained from his older siblings and life in Rotorua, and the academies in Wellington and in the USA.
In Hawke's Bay we don't have that one "go to" place to send the talented athletes to mix and train with the best from other sports, or even somewhere for parents to give their kids the best chance to develop their athletic ability and "be the best they can be".
Around the country (and Australia) people bemoan the Warriors league team. Unfairly, the targets are often our Polynesian players - unfair in that they have become targets due to their natural talent. Sure they have the natural athletic ability, but ironically due to that early-developer talent they would often never have to learn to work hard to attain success, and were not part of the athlete development programmes that promote success characteristics such as mental toughness.
What's needed, and would provide a great opportunity for us to lead the world here in Hawke's Bay, would be a high-performing athlete development centre and pathways tailored to identify and develop the talents of our Maori and Pacific people.
We need to sow the seeds now, and forever reap the rewards in the future.
I have had the fortune to experience first-hand the abilities of international Pacific Island rugby teams with multiple overseas tours and Rugby World Cup campaigns, and experienced the development pathways that exist on the islands.
The international teams have never quite fulfilled their potential - which is no doubt due to the inadequate development pathways for their players.
Imagine the results if we could get more of that raw talent into learning environments with the best expert advice, aligned to our Pathway to Podium and High Performance Sport NZ providers - honing the physical qualities and work ethic acquired in the gym, the positive human qualities from athlete life and performance psychology development.
Until Steven Adams came along, it almost seemed a pre-requisite to be of Afro-American descent to be an elite basketballer in America, yet he has waltzed into the NBA and, after a couple of seasons, is making world headlines.
Could it be that Steven is just the start? Imagine, for example, focused sprint programmes for young Pacific speedsters, with the Fijians given development systems like the Jamaicans and Americans enjoy.
Pacific Island people in the Olympic 100m final! Yes it can happen - but the seeds need to be sown, the system needs to be implemented - otherwise we will keep getting what we've got.
Sport is one of the few things that can break down social and cultural barriers, and unite all in the community - let's get our talented youth from all backgrounds working together under one roof, alongside whanau young and old, inspiring them too . They could inspire healthy eating and nutrition, work ethic and the success characteristic for whole communities.
The talented youth in the Maori and Pacific communities are the sleeping giant of Hawke's Bay sport.
They can inspire positive pathways for all, no matter what you are into - sport, music, culture ... life.
-Marcus Agnew leads Talent Development and the Pathway to Podium for Sport Hawke's Bay. He is also a lecturer in sports science at EIT.