Teamwork the key to success, academy told

Former All Black Scott Robertson told Academy of Sport members teamwork is the key to success, at an event honouring this year’s academy cohort.

The presentation evening saw 42 student-athletes acknowledged, from 19 sports including cycling, rugby, triathlon and tae kwon do.

Mr Robertson, who had a ten-year career in New Zealand before moving to France and Japan, spoke about the team culture at the heart of the Crusaders Super Rugby franchise, with which he won multiple titles.

“Players are chosen for the team on their character first, and their skill second,” he said. “Every year the team has an induction that lays out the dedication required from the players, what standards they have to live up to, and the history of the region.”

Assistant Vice-Chancellor Stuart Morris told the students that Massey provided them with the facilities and support to achieve both their sporting and academic aspirations.

“Each athlete within the academy programme receives access to a sports psychologist, nutritionist, strength and physical conditioning coaches, gym membership and academic support and assistance,” he said. “This package, we believe, is what you as students deserve and your credentials speak for what we want to achieve with the programme.”

Massey was proud to have recently been announced as the first university to sign up to the Athlete Friendly Tertiary Network agreement, an initiative of the New Zealand Academy of Sport that provides guidelines for tertiary providers to assist student-athletes as they compete and study, Mr Morris said.

This year the University is the chosen tertiary provider for 119 of the 373 Prime Minister’s Athlete Scholarships, which are awarded to high-performance athletes to assist them to compete internationally and continue their studies.


2011 Academy of Sport Athletes
Scott Burch (Athletics)?
Andy Kruy (Athletics)?
Zachary Topping (Athletics)?
Kelly O’Donnell (Barefoot Waterskiing)?
Logan Funnell (Basketball)?
Ryan Funnell (Basketball)?
Angus Donaldson (Boxing)?
Jason Anderson (Canoe Racing)
Erin Bolton (Canoe Polo)
Julie Bolton (Canoe Polo)
Meghann Corbett (Canoe Polo)
Carl Duncan (Canoe Polo)?
Malcolm Gibson (Canoe Slalom)?
Louise Jull (Canoe Slalom)
Aaron Osborne (Canoe Slalom)?
Kelly Travers (Canoe Slalom)?
Kate Broadmore (Cricket)?
Dane Cleaver (Cricket)
Hannah Appleton (Equestrian)
Mitchell Cronin (Hockey)?
Nathan Holt (Hockey)
Elizabeth Horne (Hockey)?
Sasha Smith (Mountain Biking)?
Jodi Beaumont (Netball)?
Amber Bellringer (Netball)?
Whitney Cassidy (Netball)
Emma Peterson (Road Cycling)
Rachel Southee (Road Cycling)?
Hamish Northcott (Rugby)?
Sarah Goss (Rugby)?
Harriet Miller-Brown (Snowsports)
Danielle Fourie (Squash)?
Thomas Nash (Squash)?
Joseph Watts (Squash)?
Natalie Paterson (Table Tennis)
Kane Baigent (Taekwon-do)
Michael Davis (Taekwon-do)?
Umakaihau Goodyer (Taekwon-do)?
Estelle Speirs (Taekwon-do)
Hamish Hammond (Triathlon)?
William O’Connor (Triathlon)
Joseph Kayes (Waterpolo)?