Napier's 'guru of volleyball' Alani Samia remembered with one final home game

Alani Samia was a long-time teacher at Napier Boys' High School and high-profile member of the volleyball community. Photo / Supplied

The "guru of volleyball" in Hawke's Bay has been given the sporting send-off he wanted in Napier.

Family and friends of long-serving Napier Boys' High School physical education teacher and volleyball coach Alani Samia on Wednesday took to the court to play matches in his honour.

The 57-year-old husband and father of four died of abdominal cancer on Saturday.

After Samia's diagnosis in 2020 a Givealittle page was set up, raising over $17,000 to help the family and send them on a holiday.

Colleague of 18 years and friend Peter McGlashan said the family was fortunate to have been able to take the holiday in New Zealand after Covid closed the borders.

McGlashan, who was Head of Department for Physical Education at Napier Boys' High School, said Samia's involvement and passion for volleyball was "huge".

Samia started at the school in 2001 as a physical education teacher.

"You could almost call him the guru of volleyball, anything about volleyball, people went to him from around the country, not just in Hawke's Bay."

People who knew Alani gathered at Napier Boys' High School to pay their respects and play some volleyball in his memory. Photo / Paul Taylor

At the 2020 Hawke's Bay sports awards Samia was one of four winners of the Glenn Cook Technologies award for Lifetime Contribution to Sport for volleyball.

McGlashan remembers one of the boys he taught at school who was "perfect for volleyball" was encouraged to try the sport by Samia and ended up getting a scholarship to the United States through the sport.

He also held a programme at lunchtime where any student could come play volleyball at lunchtime in the gym.

"We were very similar in our philosophies with regards to physical education, we got on really well."

Samia moved through the department becoming head of health then assistant head of department, working at the school until he had to resign due to illness in 2020.

McGlashan said Samia was a firm but fair teacher and volleyball coach with high expectations of students.

Volleyball onlookers rep Samia t-shirts on Wednesday. Photo / Paul Taylor

"He was a real professional in the way he approached the subject."

McGlashan said Samia had asked those who knew him to play a game of volleyball in his memory.

"It was something Alani wanted, just people to get together and have a hit," McGlashan said.

The husband, son and brother had three daughters and one son and "family was everything to him", Samia's the death notice said.