Westlake Girls' High hockey skipper Mattea Harris in jubilant mood after winning the SuperCity First X1 hockey final against Diocesan.
How many siblings can boast of captaining their schools to regional championships in two different sports in the same week?
Robert and Mattea Harris can make that claim after successful seasons in their chosen sports of rugby and hockey.
In a classic case of family bridging the Auckland-North Harbour divide, Robert skippered the Auckland Grammar First XV to the 1A title on August 23. Just five days later Mattea led the North Harbour champions Westlake Girls' High First XI hockey side to the SuperCity schools crown.
Mattea and Robert Harris draw inspiration from each other's achievements.
In turn, three days after that, Robert took Auckland Grammar to the Blues regional championship. All in a week's work, it seems, for this Parnell brother and sister double act.
Their leadership skills had their genesis even before college. At Northcross Intermediate, they came under the tutelage of Scott Washer, who instilled in them (Mattea is a year behind Robert) the qualities that make a good leader.
"He was a rugby coach and showed me the ropes of how to be a leader and lead by example. He got me to talk a bit more, because I'm quite quiet," said Robert, now 18, who has just left Auckland Grammar to take up an opportunity at the Sale Sharks club academy in Britain. One of his old teammates at Northcross, Shaun Stevenson, is now an Auckland Grammar First XV teammate and enjoyed a fine year at fullback for the 1A champions.
Mattea, 16, also learned plenty which has stood her in good stead, often playing in hockey teams where the girls are much older.
"[Scott] is a good man. He definitely drilled into us about leadership. It's a bit of both leading by example, but also getting on with the girls and motivating them and having that relationship with them," says Mattea.
The siblings seem close, and draw inspiration from each other's achievements, but that doesn't mean they often get to watch each other play.
Between training, games, school and travel, often with mother Lesley as the "taxi driver", there is little spare time. Mattea plays her school hockey midweek, and club hockey for the HDF club. She has her restricted driver's licence while Rob has his full licence. Mattea did get to the Auckland Grammar-King's First XV clash in June, where the atmosphere was highly charged -- both schools did rousing haka -- and Robert led his side to a 27-15 victory.
Robert has captained most of the sides he has played in over the years, and it is no coincidence that most of these teams have enjoyed success.
He won the Roller Mills Shield in 2009 and then led the Auckland Grammar First XV to the Moascar Cup and the 1A title this year as a tigerish opensider, not a large player by 1A standards, but one who brought total commitment and had a George Smith-like ability to rarely succumb to injury.
Ironically, he has torn ankle ligaments after his first game in the UK, where he is rubbing shoulders with the likes of Daniel Braid and Sam Tuitupou. He was born in England and has dual UK and New Zealand passports, as does Mattea.
In 2013, Robert won the Sir Wilson Whineray Cup for "outstanding character and leadership in the game of rugby". That was his second season (of three) in the First XV.
Robert says he was happy with his form through 2014.
"I just keep going week-in-week-out, no complaints. We had a very good year but just fell in that last game," says Robert, referring to the semifinal defeat to Wellington's Scot's College, who over-ran them 39-22 with some brilliant rugby.
He has a simple captaincy philosophy.
"It's about leading by example, and I guess I've been lucky with the teams I've captained, because they really just look after themselves."
Being a No7, his relationship with referees is also important.
"I start off pushing [the envelope], but if the ref doesn't like it, I change it up.
"I guess I learn all my leadership from Mattea. She does all right!" quips Robert.
"When she gets a goal, she always asks me if I scored a try!"
Mattea, who will be back for her senior year at Westlake Girls' High next year, is a talented centre half, so doesn't score many goals, but she has a long and impressive CV, which includes selection in the Black Sticks Under 18 squad.
She would love to one day wear the senior black shirt of the Black Sticks. She has also represented North Harbour from Under 15 to Under 18 levels and has several association age-group player of the year gongs.
When the Herald called, Mattea was taking a break from hockey and training.
She talks animatedly about the SuperCity final, where Westlake won 2-1, but only after repelling a Dio penalty corner in the final 30 seconds. She has to think tactically much of the time, but says the coaching of Verity Sharland and the quality of her teammates helps.
Though admitting to some fatigue after a season in which she played 40 games, Mattea says it is all manageable.
"It's down to time management and having Mum as my taxi!"
And playing the older girls in club hockey?
"It's improved my game. That tougher competition helps to lift you. It's way faster and more physical in club hockey," says Mattea.
College Sport results
Cricket
First XI premier girls' T4: Westlake GHS 100/6 beat Glendowie 54/8
First XI premier boys' two-day championship, day two, round three:
Auckland Grammar 126/3 declared and 121/2 declared (Ben Rainger 70*) beat St Kentigern 0/0 declared and 213 (Henry King 4-25) outright by 34 runs
Sacred Heart 113 (Dale Phillips 38, Wesley Healiss 4-13) lost to Westlake BHS 115/6 by four wickets
MAGS 172/9 (Katene Clark 45, Hamish Maclean 4-47) and 8/1 lost to King's 262/8 (Charles Bevin 51, Tristan Payle 46, Callum Douglas 45) on first innings
First XI premier boys' two-day plate, day two, round three:
Rangitoto 218/9 (Nathan Sass 58, Nathan Banks 32) beat Avondale 79 by 139 runs
Liston 175 (Luke Devereaux 42, Victor Lister 39, Marco Sapich 35, Kyle Fletcher 3-28) beat Kelston BHS 75 (Jordan O'Neill 3-24) and 37 (O'Neill 5-17) outright by an innings and 63 runs
Macleans 69 (Oliver Cheyne 6-29) and 182/4 (Jass Randhawa 50*, Le Shur Vermeulen 47) lost to Rosmini 160/8 (Ryan Harrison 54) on first innings
Rugby sevens
Condors 7s qualifiers
Auckland finals:
Boys: Otahuhu 21 MAGS 10; Girls: MAGS 17 Otahuhu 12
Touch
Junior zones:
Central boys' A grade: Onehunga A 4 Marcellin 1 3; St Peter's A 1 St Paul's 1; MAGS 3 Dilworth A 0; Auckland Grammar 4 Onehunga A 0
Central girls' A: Onehunga A 1 Diocesan 1 1; MAGS A 3 Baradene A 1; AGGS A 7 Marist Junior A 1; St Cuthbert's 1 3 St Mary's White 1
Counties girls: Rosehill 1 6 Strathallan 2; Tuakau 9 Rosehill 2 0; Alfriston 9 James Cook 0; James Cook Puutake 7 Manurewa 0; Tangaroa 6 Sir Edmund Hillary 0; Tuakau 8 Strathallan 1; Sir Edmund Hillary 3 Manurewa 2; Tangaroa 4 Alfriston 1; James Cook Puutake 10 James Cook 1
Counties boys' Pool A: James Cook 3 Alfriston B 1; Manurewa 8 Papakura 2
Counties boys' Pool B: Sir Edmund Hillary 9 James Cook Puutake 0; Alfriston A 6 Tangaroa 1 0
Counties boys' Pool C: Wesley Black 9 Rosehill 1 1; Rosehill 2 5 Strathallan 0
Eastern girls' A: St Kentigern A 5 Macleans 0; One Tree Hill A 2 Pakuranga 1; Howick Red 6 St Kentigern B 0; St Kentigern B 2 Botany Downs 1 1
Eastern girls' B: Glendowie default to Selwyn; Tamaki 3 Edgewater 1; Sancta Maria 2 Howick 1
Eastern boys' A Pool A: St Kentigern A 6 One Tree Hill A 2; Sacred Heart A 6 Edgewater 3; Howick 7 Botany Downs 2 0
Eastern boys' A Pool B: Pakuranga 1 4 Sacred Heart B 2; St Kentigern B 1 Macleans 1; Botany Downs 1 5 Pakuranga 2 0
North Harbour boys' A Pool 1: Westlake BHS Yr 10A 5 Northcote A 2; Rangitoto Red 4 Kaipara 3; Orewa Junior A 15 Hobsonville Point 0
North Harbour boys' A Pool 2: Westlake BHS Yr 9A 3 Hato Petera A 2; Rosmini Red 4 Birkenhead Yr 10 2; Mahurangi A 13 Long Bay A 0; Westlake BHS Yr 9A 4 Birkenhead Yr 10 4; Mahurangi A 4 Rosmini Red 3; Rangitoto Blue 7 Long Bay A 1
North Harbour girls' A Pool 1: Mahurangi A 8 Carmel Black 0; Long Bay A 10 Rangitoto Blue 0
North Harbour girls' A Pool 2: Hobsonville Point 2 Orewa A 1; Rangitoto Red 3 Kaipara 2; Kaipara 10 Orewa A 1; Westlake GHS Red 8 Hobsonville Point 0
Southern boys' Pool A: Otahuhu A 6 De La Salle Blue 5; King's 7 Auckland 7th Day Adv. 1; De La Salle Blue 7 Auckland 7th Day Adv. 1; Otahuhu A 3 Aorere 3
Southern boys' Pool B: Mangere 9 Otahuhu B 0; Papatoetoe 4 De La Salle Maroon 2; Papatoetoe 2 Otahuhu B 1; Mangere 6 Southern Cross 4
Southern girls: Southern Cross 4 Aorere 2; Mangere 5 Otahuhu B 1; McAuley 5 Otahuhu A 4; McAuley 3 Mangere 2; Aorere 6 Otahuhu B 1; Southern Cross 3 Papatoetoe 2
Western boys: Massey 1 10 Massey 2 0; Waitakere Juniors 8 Rutherford 1; Avondale default to Green Bay; Kelston BHS K1 9 Henderson 0; Avondale default to Henderson; Waitakere Juniors 10 Green Bay 0; Rutherford 8 Massey 2 0; Liston default to Massey 1
Western girls: Massey 1 4 Rutherford 0; Waitakere Junior Girls 7 Henderson 1; Avondale 7 Massey 2 1; Henderson 0 Massey 2 0; Waitakere Junior Girls 5 Massey 1 1; Avondale 5 Rutherford 2
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