Kaitaia stalwarts step aside

FULL CREDIT: Shane Pika McDonald presents Andy Booth with a carved plague as a gesture of thanks for his work promoting senior football in Kaitaia over the past decade.

Someone once boldly declared that the Kaitaia senior football teams' rowdy prizegivings were better than Christmas.

However, this year's annual awards ceremony saw two major stalwarts behind the club's remarkable progress over the past decade announce that they were stepping down. Widely acknowledged as integral to football's ongoing development in the region, Andrew Booth and Shane Pika McDonald told the gathering at Taipa on September 12 that it was time to hand the reins over.

Under the pair's leadership, the round ball game has enjoyed significant growth over the past seven years (the first two of those seasons played under the Awanui Sports Complex umbrella) including the claiming of three provincial titles. However, Boothy said the necessary commitment to the cause had taken its toll and it was time for both men to focus on other areas in their lives. The news created some disquiet, and left many wondering who could pick up the significant slack created by the 'departure' of the popular duo.

Otherwise, it was business as usual at the annual event, held at the Eastern rugby clubrooms with dinner, complimentary drinks and live entertainment again making for a memorable celebration. While not quite reaching the dizzy heights of the previous season which saw Kaitaia claiming both Northland 1st and 3rd div titles, Boothy said the club's first team had still enjoyed an impressive debut in the Northland Premier Division.

"Gotta admit, I thought it was going to be another struggle. We lost some really talented players [at the start of the season]. Made it hard but as always players turned out. Sorry to say some of our home performances weren't as good as our away ones."

He also recalled the first pre-season muster five years ago which saw four or five guys standing around a paddock at the end of summer wondering if it was worth trying to assemble a team to represent Kaitaia in provincial competition. However, as Boothy pointed out, with plans now afoot to enter a side in the Northland Women's Premier Division next season, football's popularity remained undiminished in the town.

Also acknowledged were the team's myriad sponsors, those who made facilities available (including for matches and functions), those who had volunteered their time and expertise in coaching and administrative roles, and the club's diehard supporters.

"Our supporters are the best supporters out there, they not only turn up for the home games but the away ones as well."

Senior football prizewinners for 2015 were:

Player of the Year, and Players' Player of the Year: Brad Mannell, Senior Player of the Year: Steve Daykin, Asher Mitcalfe Memorial (best young player of the year): Dylan Rogers, Second Team Player of the Year: Caleb Cross, Most Improved Player: Riki Green, Dedication Award: Jamie Rogers, Golden Boot: Shane Pika McDonald, Hat-tricks: S McDonald, and C Cross 2, Goal of the Season: Andy Boothy (freekick vs Kamo at Kamo), Best Player at Training: Luke Wilson. Versatility Award: Bayley Milne. Supporter of the Year: Camille Tatnell.