On Saturday 23rd August, St Catherine’s College hosted the Volleyball New Zealand Level 2 Te Tipu Coach Course hui that brought together 19 passionate coaches from across the region.

The workshop, facilitated by Sam Ryburn (VNZ Contractor) and Alex Mariano (Operations Manager at Volleyball Hawke’s Bay), provided an engaging and practical learning environment. Attendees described their delivery as clear, relevant, and easy to apply:

“Both Sam and Alex presented the course well. Methodology and examples explained were relevant and easy to understand.”

Strong Interest in Future Workshops

With over 30 additional coaches registering their interest but unable to attend, VNZ and WRVA are already looking ahead to hosting another session in early 2026, ensuring more coaches can access the development opportunity.

Community Support

The workshop was proudly supported by Wellington Region Volleyball Association (WRVA), who provided catering for attendees. Special acknowledgement also goes to Keith Kincaid, who attended to tautoko the kaupapa and showed his support for coaching development in the community.

Positive Outcomes

Feedback from the event highlighted its success:

• 100% of attendees strongly agreed or agreed that the workshop helped them grow their confidence and competence in coaching.

This overwhelming response underscores the importance of continuing to invest in coach education and creating environments where knowledge can be shared, networks strengthened, and confidence built.

Article added: Tuesday 26 August 2025