Performance session for students

Kyla Smith (left) was awarded Kaitaia College's most outstanding sporting achievement for 2015, alongside Michaela Bell and Te Kahi Nathan, named the school's top sportswoman and sportsman for 2015.

A selection of Northland's most promising secondary school athletes will meet with, hear and soak up some highly valuable advice from Emirates Team New Zealand crew members at the inaugural ASB Performance Pathway event in Whangarei today.

The ASB Performance Pathway event is being held at the ASB Leisure Centre and includes Emirates Team New Zealand sailors, including Kerikeri's own Blair Tuke along with Ray Davies and Guy Endean, share stories from their successful careers and offer advice on what it takes to become a world-class athlete with more than 35 finalists from the recently-held Sport Northland ASB Secondary School Sports Awards. To congratulate the young athletes, the finalists were invited to participate in the event with the sailors, who were reportedly more than happy to speak to the secondary school students.

Throughout the day students will take part in activities, which include coaching in nutrition, sportsmanship, leadership, financial literacy and care and communication.

Among those from the Far North attending the clinic are Kyla Smith (crossfit, Kaitaia College), Ben Armstrong (AFL, Bay of Islands College), Nada Walker (futsal Kerikeri High), various members of the Kerikeri High School sailing team and also Keri High's hockey star, Samantha Polovnikoff.

Samantha, named ASB Northland Secondary Schools Sportswoman of the Year last month, said she was particularly looking forward to meeting the Emirates Team New Zealand crew members. "It's going to be a really fun yet educational day.

"I'm most excited to meet the Emirates Team New Zealand guys. I've seen Blair around at sporting events but never actually spoken to him.

"The team are at the top of their game, and I know they'll be able to offer good advice which is encouraging and very inspiring," Polovnikoff said.

Event spokesperson Mark Graham said the pathway day represented a successful and longstanding collaboration between ASB and Sport Northland, as well as Emirates Team New Zealand.

It allowed the three different organisations to continue investing in the region's future national and international sportspeople.

"We are delighted to this year offer something new, exciting and beneficial to those upcoming athletes who are passionate about making a career of their chosen sport.

"It's going to be a great day for everyone."

The agenda for the ASB Performance Pathway, which will run from 10am - 3.15pm, includes a leadership session with Emirates Team New Zealand crew members, high performance athlete life and nutritionist sessions run by Ady McKenzie, a practical demonstration hosted by the NorthTec High Performance Lab, a financial literacy session hosted by ASB's Faye Sworn, and care and communication exercises hosted by St John.