Double delight for rookie of the year
First-year Steamer and Te Puke Sports lock Kane Le’aupepe was a double awardwinner at last week’s Carrus Bay of Plenty Awards.
Le’aupepe won the Craigs Investment Partners Rookie of the Year and the Vodafone Male Club Player of the Year.
He was a key player in Te Puke Sports’ charge to the 2018 Baywide rugby title.
The contribution of Rangiuru’s women’s side to the Bay of Plenty Volcanix was recognised with fullback Sapphire Tapsell being named DVS Volcanix Player of the Year, club cocaptain and Volcanix skipper Christie Yule named DVS Volcanix Forward of the Year for the second year in a row, and loose forward Kendra Reynolds announced as the inaugural winner of the Samurai Volcanix Players Player of the Year.
Aidan Ross was presented with the Vodafone Community Service award for his contribution to the community, delivering above and beyond.
After being sidelined with injury, Ross put his hand up to coach and was appointed as assistant coach of the Bay of Plenty Under-16s.
The 2018 Carrus Bay of Plenty Rugby Union Awards not only recognised representative achievements but a number of community awards were also presented to recognise the contribution by clubs, coaches and volunteers who play are crucial role in growing and strengthening the game.
Vodafone Service to Sport Awards saw five volunteers awarded for their services within the rugby community. These worthy recipients included Te Puke Sports’ Katie and Bryan Meyer, and Rangiuru Rugby Club’s Jimi McLean.
Te Puke clubs and Te Puke High School alike collected a number of community awards. Te Puke High School took a clean sweep in the secondary school awards, winning Toi Ohomai Secondary Schools Programme of the Year, and Bethlehem Coachlines Secondary Schools Coach of the Year was awarded to Dean Heybloom.
Te Puke Sports and Recreation Club were named R80 Club of the Year and Rangiuru were rewarded with their Rangiuru premier men’s team named Farmlands Co-operative Club Team of the Year, and Youth Olympic Sevens champion Tynealle Fitzgerald — also from Rangiuru’s women’s team — was named Vodafone Female Club Player of the Year.