Recently, they coached and managed a Kaitaia athletics team and took four local athletes to Wellington for the North Island Colgate Games.
In the event, the children came home with two silver medals, top-15 ranking and personal bests in every event they entered.
The love of sport runs through Paul's blood and, as a 16-year-old, he represented Northland at New Zealand secondary school level in sprinting, high jump and won gold in long jump.
He remembers his training ground for long jump being a family friend's farm, where he used to jump the drains as practice.
Growing up on a farm in the Far North and not having a lot of money to travel hindered Paul's sporting career.
He was asked as a youngster to go away and train with a pre-Olympics team but finances didn't allow it.
With the help of wife Donna, he now travels the length of the country to help and support youth in achieving their sporting goals.
It has not been uncommon for him to be working in Auckland then race back to Kaitaia to make sure he is home in time for training.
Paul currently trains a group of young men in his 999er training group to upskill them in their requirements and help them to get to the level needed to achieve higher honours.
The training is hard but professional and all voluntary.
"You are a trainer, mentor, nutritionist, taxi driver, and sometimes even surrogate parent all rolled into one," Paul said.
Paul has also trained and coached rugby from junior through to senior level with the Awanui Rugby Club.
He is currently training boys in the 90-Milers under-18 rugby team, and is the Mangonui rugby coach.
He is also the Northland rugby team's massage therapist and has also worked with the New Zealand Black Ferns, Maori All Blacks, NPC teams, Super 15 teams and is currently also working with the Blues development team.
Through these teams, he has made some great friends and has also been able to take on their knowledge and experience.
"The support from players for what we do has been awesome and they've also been known to even flick us their old boots and clothes every now and then," Paul said.
"To see their faces when you hand kids a pair of Jared Payne boots is definitely a highlight, but they have definitely worked hard to earn them. It is truly a big surprise and humbling to be recognised for the work we do, so a big thank you to Lesley Wallace from Sport Northland, and Lotteries, for the nomination."
Simone and Eddie Matthews, Northern WairoaEddie has been instrumental in junior rugby in the Northern Wairoa region.
His real passion is youth and he currently holds a committee position on the Northern Wairoa JMB sub-union.
Eddie holds a level-two rugby coaching qualification and this year is the assistant coach for Dargaville High School's 1st XV.
He has coached junior rugby for the past 11 years for several clubs, including the Western Sharks, Kaihu, Northland and Northland Maori.
Simone works tirelessly with the Northern Wairoa Netball Centre. She has been president for two years and established the junior programme pilot, which she has managed for three years.
She has coached netball for the last 12 years and, this year, helped Dargaville High School initiate junior basketball back into school and now manages the two junior teams.
