Rowing, kayaking and rugby dominated the senior ranks at the Wanganui Secondary Schools Sports Awards last night.
Rising rugby star and Year 13 Wanganui Collegiate student Stephen Perofeta was named the Senior Sportsman of the Year while Year 13 Wanganui High School kayaker Erica Tanner claimed the Senior Sportswoman of the Year title. The Dub.Dee.See.Youth Committee awards were made at the Wanganui Girls' College hall last night.
Rowing continued to receive its annual accolades when Kayla Spencer (WHS) and Jessica Brougham took out the Senior Team award.
Judges were swayed toward Perofeta on the strength of his selection to the 2015 Hurricanes U18 team, the NZSS Barbarians squad and the Steelform Wanganui Heartland team. His selection was franked last weekend when he played a major role in Wanganui's Meads Cup victory over South Canterbury in the Pink Batts Heartland Championship final in Timaru. That, however, fell outside the timeframe for these awards.
In his final year at Collegiate, Perofeta has been head-hunted by the Taranaki Rugby Academy and will play for the Clifton club in New Plymouth next season.
The 18-year-old showed his versatility as an athlete when winning gold as part of the WCS' 4 X 100 relay team at the North Island Secondary Schools championship earlier in he year.
Senior Sportswoman Tanner was in the new Zealand U18 Women's Sprint Kayak team to race in Australia this season. Tanner paddled into sixth place in K1 1000m at the Australasian competition in Sydney and fifth in the 500m K2.
She also finished fourth in the K1 500m and K2 200m and 500m at the NZ Nationals and took bronze in the K4 200m and 500m at the Oceania championships this year.
A member of the Wanganui Multisport and Triathlon Club, Tanner is also adept at marathon paddling winning the 10km U18 Women's race at the nationals. She also claimed the 10km National U18 series with maximum points.
Senior Women's Team winners Spencer and Brougham gained selection to the NZ junior rowing team in the strength of results throughout the season.
The pair teamed up to win gold in the Girls U18 double sculls at the Maadi Cup and also won gold, silver and bronze at the nationals.
Brougham is in her fifth season rowing, beginning while at Collegiate School. She continued after moving to St Peter's in Waikato and again when moving back to her hometown. She has since left school and is serious about making rowing her life.
Junior Sportsman was Kasey Watson (WHS) for his achievements on the judo mat, both in New Zealand and overseas.
The Year 11 student was in the New Zealand team at the Oceania tournament in New Caledonia where he placed. Watson came third in his weight range and seconds in the teams cadet and junior men grades.
The youngster is also a silver medallist at the nationals at the end of last year in his weight and age categories.
The Junior Sportswoman of the Year is Claudia Hurley from Nga Tawa Diocesan School. Hurley was named for her deeds in equestrian circles.
The Year 10 student had an individual third at the NZ Pony Club Dressage Championships and came first overall as part of the Taranaki team. She consistently performs well in a number of equestrian disciplines at a high level.
The Junior Team award went to the Wanganui Collegiate School Year 9 Girls Cross Country team mainly off the back of their gold in the 3 and 6-to-score events at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Cross Country Championships.
The effort was especially notable given the many larger schools they were up against who had impressive records at this championship. This season Collegiate had just 26 Year 9 girls to choose from.
This year The WSS Coach of the Year award goes to Ayesha Zaidi from Wanganui Girls' College for netball, gymnastics and swimming.
In her second year of coaching a junior netball team at WGC she has shown dedication and commitment to the team attending various courses to upskill and develop. Zaidi also coaches gymnastics to 5 and 6-year-olds, seniors and to competitive athletes. She is a member of the National Youth Leadership programme run by GymSports NZ and this programme will allow her to complete modules that will give her the skills and qualifications to coach at a NZ Intermediate level.
She also coaches a "Learn to Swim" programme to primary school children.
Official of the Year was awarded to Renne Harrison from WGC, mainly for her efforts in netball.
Judges were impressed by the Year 13 student official who had excelled and displayed an outstanding performance as a referee, umpire and judge within the qualifying period.