Robbie Power with his kids Eleanor (left), Clara and Imogen. Photo / Supplied
Robbie Power is a teacher at Cullinane College and a stalwart of the Whanganui United Cricket Club.
What is your favourite thing to do in Whanganui?
I’m a big fan of our plentiful beaches, and The Mole in particular. I love to go out there and frolic in the waves.
What is your finest moment as a cricketer?
Scoring my first hundred for United was a pretty special time. It was T20 game against Marist and I opened the batting with my club hero. We put on 220 runs for the first wicket. That’s been my defining moment. My first 50 came off 40-odd balls and the next 50 came off 20. I might have got a few wickets too so it was a big day for Robbie Power.
Do you have a favourite Black Caps memory?
This is an easy one for me. I went to the (2015 One Day Cricket World Cup) semifinal at Eden Park, where The Jav (Grant Elliot) hit a six into the stands to win the game. That was an absolute highlight of my life. It was pretty much the perfect day, really.
What is one thing you think Whanganui could improve?
I think we have fantastic facilities here, so we could bring a lot more large-scale sporting events to Whanganui. We’ve got stadiums and beautiful cricket grounds, and bowls is a huge thing here as well. If we could become a central hub of sport in New Zealand, Whanganui could really grow.
Sledging on the cricket field. Do you partake? Have you been a victim?
As a high school student playing against United, I got called everything under the sun. Funnily enough, when I finished school, I turned around and played with them and became the sledger.
I’ve definitely copped it from my own team and dished it out. We’ve had some epic battles with Marist and Tech. Things have got heated but you always finish with a beer. We’re mates, generally.
I do recall getting out against United as a student and getting called a dirty cheat as I walked off. I won’t name any names. I hadn’t got many runs, either.
What is a major issue facing the teaching sector at the moment?
Kids and cellphones, and the dangers of social media. They are just addicted. It’s pretty scary how much they are into their phones and how they need to be glued to them. Their world is their phone. That’s going to be the biggest challenge for schooling to overcome in New Zealand, I think.
What advice would you give your 15-year-old self?
Stay in sport and don’t turn your back on it, because it has a lot of benefits. I wouldn’t say stay in school because I don’t think that’s for everyone.
What is Whanganui’s best-kept secret?
That’s a toughy. Overall, I don’t think people perceive Whanganui as a great place to live. Actually, it’s a damn good place to live with plenty to do. Whanganui’s best kept secret is Whanganui.
You can have one person from history to dinner. Who would they be and why?
It’s got to be Shane Warne. Growing up I hated him because he always destroyed us, plus he was an arrogant w**ker, but he was damn good at what he did. Being a leg spinner myself, I had nothing but respect for his ability. I was always a Dan Vettori fan but the fact that Warney’s died, it has to be the great man. There would be a lot of banter and no doubt a fair few ales.
How do you think Whanganui has changed over the years?
I think it’s just gotten better and better. Growing up, I thought Whanganui was boring - that’s probably a young person’s attitude. After going to uni in other towns, travelling around the world and living in other countries, it’s been amazing coming home and seeing how cool of a place it is. It’s central to everywhere and you still have the same old banter with your mates.
It’s changed massively for the better as a place where we can shape our futures to some degree, which we probably wouldn’t have thought we could do as kids.