Diocesan School Shines At Young Sportsperson Of The Year Awards

Diocesan student and Black Stick Samantha Harrison has joined some of New Zealand’s greatest sporting stars by being named 2009 Young Sports Woman of the year for her outstanding hockey achievements.

Harrison, 18, is also one of four students from the independent all-girls Auckland school who won their individual sports categories at the prestigious awards.

Now in their 19th year, the awards have in the past hailed a long list of outstanding young sports people including Jonah Lomu, Doug Howlett, Luke McAlister, Valerie Vili and Olympic gold medallist and former Diocesan old girl Sarah Ulmer who all went onto to become Kiwi sporting heroes.

An impressive nine Diocesan students including Harrison were finalists in 10 sports out of a total 31 cthat were judged at the awards held at Eden Park on November 12.

The Dio finalists were badminton player Michelle Chan, distance runner Georgie Grgec, mountain biker Hannah Lane, water polo player Danielle Lewis, diver Jamie Rodriguez, rower Samantha Ryan, footballer Rosie White and Amelia Watkinson who was a finalist in the cycling, distance running and triathlon categories.

Jamie Rodriguez went on to win the diving category, Rosie White won the football category, Samantha Harrison won the hockey category and Amelia Wilkinson won the cycling category as well as being a winner in the All Round category for her three sports.

Rosie White and Samantha Harrison were then named as overall Young Sports Woman of the Year finalists before Samantha took the title.

The Young Sportsman of the Year title went to Tall Black and Westlake Boys High School student Rob Lowe.

Harrison, who comes from Whangarei but moved down to Auckland to board at Diocesan three years ago, says her win took her completely by surprise.

“I had absolutely no idea that I would win and I was still in shock when they started asking me questions at the awards ceremony.”

Now that her win is starting to sink in, the Year 13 student, who wants to be as teacher, says it will encourage her to keep training hard at hockey to reach the level of previous Young Sportsperson of the Year award winners.

Harrison says her older sister Charlotte, who is also a Black Cap, has been her biggest role model.

“I have always looked up to her and when she made it into the Black Sticks at only 16 it really motivated me to try hard because I wanted to be in there with her.”

Harrison says her teachers at Diocesan have also been a huge support.

“They have been really supportive with my school work, giving me lots of help to try to catch up when I have been away for my sport.”

Harrison, who plays striker and left inner for the Black Sticks, is the third Diocesan student to win the coveted overall Young Sports Woman of the Year title.

World cycling champion Sarah Ulmer won the title in 1993 and hockey player Frances Kreft won it in 2003.

Diocesan’s director of sport, Chris Wilson, says the large number of finalists the school had in this year’s awards reflects the depth of its sports programme and the variety of sports offered.

“The fact that we had winners in four diverse codes – cycling, diving, hockey and football – shows the diverse range of sporting opportunities our students have,” says Wilson.

ENDS