Black Sticks Olympic Farewell Reception

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Kia ora koutou.  Black Sticks womens and mens teams and your family and friends, Hockey New Zealand staff, Hockey Association representatives, Umpires and Officials, sponsors, guests otherwise, greetings to you all.

I specifically acknowledge: Dean Ellwood and Hilary Poole, Chairman and Chief Executive respectively of Hockey New Zealand; Jon Tanner, Chairman of the Hockey Foundation; Kayla Sharland, Emily Naylor and Mark Hager, Co-Captains and coach of the Women’s team; and Dean Couzins and Shane McLeod, Captain and Coach of the Men’s team respectively; Kereyn Smith, Secretary General of the NZOC and Heather McRae, Principal of Diocesan School for Girls - tēnā koutou katoa.

It’s great to be here this evening at this Hockey New Zealand Farewell Reception.  This evening we’re farewelling our 32 Black Sticks men and women, and the umpires and officials, who will represent us at one of the most anticipated world sporting events – The 2012 London Olympics.  It’s also an opportunity to congratulate them formally on being selected, along with the other 175 athletes that have been named so far, and to wish them well.

As patron of Hockey New Zealand and the New Zealand Olympic Committee, I am pleased to be here on behalf of all New Zealanders, to wish you well for the competition ahead.  Your first games start for the women and men 30 and 31 days respectively from today – not too far away if you consider that the last Olympic competition was four years ago!  Although I’m here to say goodbye and good luck tonight, my wife Janine and I will be hot on your heals, travelling to London to do our part in supporting all of our world-class athletes in as many events as we can get to.  I’m very much looking forward to being at the forefront of cheering you, and our other athletes, on.

Now I’m a little biased, but I think that for a nation of 4.4 million people, we punch well in our weight-division in sporting endeavours.  We New Zealanders have a passion for our sport with an unmatched combination of skill, perseverance and downright bloody mindedness.  I’m often reminded of Barry Crump’s advice: “Never tell them you can’t do a thing.  Get stuck in and have a go.  By the time they find out you’ve never done it before, you’re doing it!”

It is that classic Kiwi temperament that sees us excel both nationally, and internationally.  The selection of seven New Zealand hockey umpires and officials to the 2012 London Olympics emphasises our strong international reputation, and the quality of those in the talent pool.  

And New Zealand will be watching you Black Sticks with great enthusiasm.  You can bet on thousands tuning in to cheer for you, at all hours of the night, here at home.  I’ll be watching both teams as you progress through the preliminary rounds, and if the stars align I’ll be watching you in the finals on the 10th and 11th of August.  Before that, I’m looking forward to watching the Black Stick’s Men’s first match on 30 July against (South) Korea. 

I must extend my apologies to the Black Sticks Women’s Team for being unable to make any of your games.  Playing the very first hockey match of the 2012 London Olympics and against Australia is a tempting proposition, and you will have the hockey-world watching. 

To the Black Sticks: both sides make up two extremely strong teams who will do us proud.  It seems to me that being ranked sixth and seventh in the world going into the Olympics is a neat place to be – no pressure.  Both from the results you’ve achieved over the recent past and the improvements you’ve made the more you’ve played together looks good to me.  You also have a good mix of young fast-guns and experience, I congratulate our three-time Olympians – Kayla, Emily, Dean, Phil, Blair and Kyle – and the four men’s and 12 women’s “newcomers”. 

Finally, I want to thank all of those family members and friends of our team heading over to the Olympic Games for the steadfast support you have provided.  That contribution is one that has played a significant part in each athlete, umpire, and official’s journey to the Games, and will continue to be important throughout their time in London.

Black Sticks – I will be touring the Athlete’s Village on the morning of 28 July, so perhaps I may run into you again then to wish you well.  In the meantime, remember Barry Crump’s counsel: get stuck in, have a go and before you know it you will have won New Zealand’s second and third hockey Olympic medals!

I wish you all the best for the 2012 London Olympics.  Kia ora, kia kaha, kia manawanui - be well, be strong, be courageous.