A big congratulations to the members of our Korfball family back in New Zealand who have been selected for the national side to compete in the 2014 Asia Oceania Korfball Championships to be held in Hong Kong. The squad has just been announced and I trust that this will give you all renewed motivation and desire to perform to the best of your abilities come August next year! The squad is as follows (in no particular order):
Males:
Bevan Lawson
Spencer Te Pou
Carl Chung
Simon Cooper
Neville Brooker
Brodie Thompson
Mikey Graham
Females:
Kelsey Forward
Sarah Bateup
Loralee Pope
Alice Cheersmith
Rachel Barrett
Lucy Bolton
Rosa Cooper
Coach: Mark Garrett
I am buzzing with excitement seeing this group finally announced! This announcement brings back into focus for me one of the main reasons for undertaking this Odyssey and living in the Netherlands: To learn from the best Korfballers in the world, to develop my own skills and raise the level of New Zealand Korfball, bringing us to qualify for the World Championships for the first time.
For me this will be my third Asia Oceania tournament following the 2007 AOYKC (Under 23) in Christchurch, New Zealand; and the 2010 AOKC in Zhuzhou, China. Both of those tournaments added to New Zealand’s ‘almost’ Korfball history, missing out on World Championships qualification by one place on both occasions (in 2007 it was actually one goal on countback!).
The hurt of losing to India in our playoff game in China still sits in the prefrontal cortex of my brain and has been a major driving force behind what has ensued for my Korfball life over the subsequent three and a half years.
On returning to New Zealand from China I began coaching Korfball in Christchurch as a way of passing on the knowledge I had learned from Mark Garrett and beginning to build a stronger Korfball foundation in New Zealand for the future. I had the good fortune of taking on the role as coach of our regional Canterbury side in 2010 when we had in influx of new players through their university studies. From the names above Spencer, Neville, Mikey, Sarah, Lucy and Rosa were part of that group who have now become the backbone of our future Korfball endeavors. These six players along with Carl had their first taste of international Korfball at the 2011 AOYKC (Under 23) in Adelaide, Australia. I had the good fortune of attending this tournament with the team as physiotherapist and assistant coach to Mark, continuing my Korfball education. Unfortunately, history haunted our New Zealand side again, finishing just outside the places that gained qualification for World Championships. However this tournament was a valuable learning experience for those players that will serve them well as we work towards Hong Kong and they step up to senior level.
Also in 2011, I traveled to the Korfball World Championships in Shaoxing, China as physiotherapist for the Australian team. Gaining another taste of international Korfball and meeting many of the stakeholders that run the sport around the world. This experience only added to the drive and motivation that had been building since 2010 to have New Zealand qualify for our first World Championships.
This announcement must also be of huge excitement for Brodie, Kelsey, Alice and Rachael! All of whom will be representing their country for the first time! Brodie and Kelsey have worked their way up through the ranks of players in Canterbury through good old hard work and Alice, the daughter of Korfball New Zealand founder (aka Korf God) Rob Smith, will be by far the youngest member of the squad at 16 when the tournament takes place. She is becoming a beacon of Korfball New Zealand’s future, along with the other junior players developing in New Zealand. Incidentally, Rachel was also a classmate of mine at university where we both studied physiotherapy together. Helen Cranney, another of our classmates from scarfie days in Dunedin, introduced us both to Korfball. It will be nice to have another physio brain and old friend on tour to help me deal with the weary and injured bodies.
Finally to those most experienced in the squad announced above. Loralee and Simon, along with myself, are the only returning members from AOKC 2010. Loralee, has been around Korfball pretty much since the days when Rob Smith first began developing the sport in our country. Without a doubt, Loralee’s continued passion for Korfball has brought many new players into the sport and been a huge part of the reason why Korfball continues to survive in New Zealand. It will be a privilege to be sharing the court with her again.
Simon and I have shared much of our Korfball lives and travel together. Back in 2007, he was a fresh 16 year old who didn’t get a lot of court time but showed the potential he had with the opportunities he did receive. Since then Simon has also attended the 2010 AOKC in China and 2011 AOYKC in Adelaide, growing into a very talented and mature Korfballer. Through a good chunk of our playing days, Simon and I have been in the same team, more often than not in the same division (vak). Let’s not forget three weeks charging madly around South East Asia in 2010 too! Simon, like myself, has experienced more than enough struggle in Korfball and will be looking forward to turning that experience into reward come 2014.
As I reflect on the list above, I realise I have had the good fortune of coaching all but Rachel since 2010, passing on the Korfball knowledge from my guide and coach Mark Garrett. Admittedly, prior to this stint in the Netherlands, I don’t think I have trained seriously as a player since 2010 due to my coaching role. Next year, when I return to New Zealand, we all get to unite once more. This time it will be as teammates! It will be a team with the most collective international Korfball experience that New Zealand has ever sent to a tournament. Under the astute guidance of Mark Garrett once again who will be coaching a New Zealand national side for the third time.
Will 2014 be our year to break tradition and qualify for the World Championships? I trust that my teammates above will be putting their hearts into making this happen if that is what they truly desire.
With Much Excitement and Anticipation!
Lorenzo
Males:
Bevan Lawson
Spencer Te Pou
Carl Chung
Simon Cooper
Neville Brooker
Brodie Thompson
Mikey Graham
Females:
Kelsey Forward
Sarah Bateup
Loralee Pope
Alice Cheersmith
Rachel Barrett
Lucy Bolton
Rosa Cooper
Coach: Mark Garrett
I am buzzing with excitement seeing this group finally announced! This announcement brings back into focus for me one of the main reasons for undertaking this Odyssey and living in the Netherlands: To learn from the best Korfballers in the world, to develop my own skills and raise the level of New Zealand Korfball, bringing us to qualify for the World Championships for the first time.
For me this will be my third Asia Oceania tournament following the 2007 AOYKC (Under 23) in Christchurch, New Zealand; and the 2010 AOKC in Zhuzhou, China. Both of those tournaments added to New Zealand’s ‘almost’ Korfball history, missing out on World Championships qualification by one place on both occasions (in 2007 it was actually one goal on countback!).
The hurt of losing to India in our playoff game in China still sits in the prefrontal cortex of my brain and has been a major driving force behind what has ensued for my Korfball life over the subsequent three and a half years.
On returning to New Zealand from China I began coaching Korfball in Christchurch as a way of passing on the knowledge I had learned from Mark Garrett and beginning to build a stronger Korfball foundation in New Zealand for the future. I had the good fortune of taking on the role as coach of our regional Canterbury side in 2010 when we had in influx of new players through their university studies. From the names above Spencer, Neville, Mikey, Sarah, Lucy and Rosa were part of that group who have now become the backbone of our future Korfball endeavors. These six players along with Carl had their first taste of international Korfball at the 2011 AOYKC (Under 23) in Adelaide, Australia. I had the good fortune of attending this tournament with the team as physiotherapist and assistant coach to Mark, continuing my Korfball education. Unfortunately, history haunted our New Zealand side again, finishing just outside the places that gained qualification for World Championships. However this tournament was a valuable learning experience for those players that will serve them well as we work towards Hong Kong and they step up to senior level.
Also in 2011, I traveled to the Korfball World Championships in Shaoxing, China as physiotherapist for the Australian team. Gaining another taste of international Korfball and meeting many of the stakeholders that run the sport around the world. This experience only added to the drive and motivation that had been building since 2010 to have New Zealand qualify for our first World Championships.
This announcement must also be of huge excitement for Brodie, Kelsey, Alice and Rachael! All of whom will be representing their country for the first time! Brodie and Kelsey have worked their way up through the ranks of players in Canterbury through good old hard work and Alice, the daughter of Korfball New Zealand founder (aka Korf God) Rob Smith, will be by far the youngest member of the squad at 16 when the tournament takes place. She is becoming a beacon of Korfball New Zealand’s future, along with the other junior players developing in New Zealand. Incidentally, Rachel was also a classmate of mine at university where we both studied physiotherapy together. Helen Cranney, another of our classmates from scarfie days in Dunedin, introduced us both to Korfball. It will be nice to have another physio brain and old friend on tour to help me deal with the weary and injured bodies.
Finally to those most experienced in the squad announced above. Loralee and Simon, along with myself, are the only returning members from AOKC 2010. Loralee, has been around Korfball pretty much since the days when Rob Smith first began developing the sport in our country. Without a doubt, Loralee’s continued passion for Korfball has brought many new players into the sport and been a huge part of the reason why Korfball continues to survive in New Zealand. It will be a privilege to be sharing the court with her again.
Simon and I have shared much of our Korfball lives and travel together. Back in 2007, he was a fresh 16 year old who didn’t get a lot of court time but showed the potential he had with the opportunities he did receive. Since then Simon has also attended the 2010 AOKC in China and 2011 AOYKC in Adelaide, growing into a very talented and mature Korfballer. Through a good chunk of our playing days, Simon and I have been in the same team, more often than not in the same division (vak). Let’s not forget three weeks charging madly around South East Asia in 2010 too! Simon, like myself, has experienced more than enough struggle in Korfball and will be looking forward to turning that experience into reward come 2014.
As I reflect on the list above, I realise I have had the good fortune of coaching all but Rachel since 2010, passing on the Korfball knowledge from my guide and coach Mark Garrett. Admittedly, prior to this stint in the Netherlands, I don’t think I have trained seriously as a player since 2010 due to my coaching role. Next year, when I return to New Zealand, we all get to unite once more. This time it will be as teammates! It will be a team with the most collective international Korfball experience that New Zealand has ever sent to a tournament. Under the astute guidance of Mark Garrett once again who will be coaching a New Zealand national side for the third time.
Will 2014 be our year to break tradition and qualify for the World Championships? I trust that my teammates above will be putting their hearts into making this happen if that is what they truly desire.
With Much Excitement and Anticipation!
Lorenzo