Teen star to take on Aussies

The family of a Kawakawa teenager selected to represent New Zealand in touch in Australia later this year have been humbled by the show of support from the Bay of Islands community.

Jason and Lavon Bentley Hape, the parents of 13-year-old Bayleigh who will play for the New Zealand U15s at a tournament on the Gold Coast in August, have been overwhelmed by offers of support to help raise the $3500 their son needs for the upcoming trip.

Mum Lavon said many local businesses and individuals had been supporting the campaign without being approached. His old school, Kawakawa Primary, was getting in on the act by holding a mufti day with the proceeds going toward Bayleigh's trip.

"We feel so grateful to them that I have offered to make a cupcake for every $2 gold coin donation that is made and the students will get that the next day! Hopefully not all the students take me up on that offer, or I will be baking forever!" Lavon said, adding the Moerewa rugby and league clubs plan to contribute in some way while other organisations and individuals are running raffles.

The Bentley Hape whanau will hold a stall for the cause at the Motown Street Wars in Moerewa over Easter Weekend.

But really, it all leads to only one conclusion: that many within the Bay community have long been aware of Bayleigh's potential through his natural talent and dedication to sport in general which has already taken him a long way. Turning 14 this weekend, the youngster has played touch at domestic, provincial and national levels this summer.

Bayleigh participated in recently-completed local modules - alongside older brother, Jaydenn - in Moerewa, with the Alkies, and Kaikohe, with the winning team, Trust Us; and is still playing in the Whangarei competition every Tuesday night at Blue Goose with the Joe Rau-coached Galaxy Stars under-15s team, currently frontrunners to take out the open mixed championship, a competition contested by mainly adult teams.

It was his performances for the Galaxy at the start of the season which saw him selected for Te Terenga Parroa under-16s boys team which travelled to Ngaruawahia to play in the Maori Touch Nationals at the end of last year.

The side promptly took out the Maori national U16s title while several players, including Bayleigh, gained selection for the Te Tai Tokerau under-15s mixed team which played at the 2014 New Zealand Touch Nationals in Papamoa from February 14-16.

The Te Tai Tokerau U15s also went through the three-day competition unbeaten on the way to taking out the grand final by beating Otago. Once again, Bayleigh was among a trio of Te Tai Tokerau players to stand out - the others being Paul Turner and Diani Timms from Whangarei - and earn selection into the New Zealand under-15s mixed touch team travelling to the Gold Coast.

Lavon felt the achievement was worth sharing with the Far North touch community and did just that in no uncertain terms.

"We think this is huge and we are so proud of Bayleigh, the only player north of Whangarei to make the team, and the whole [Te Tai Tokerau] team, and the other two Whangarei boys who made the New Zealand team," she said.

Meanwhile, many will also be sparing a thought for older brother Jaydenn who played for the Moerewa Tigers and Northern Swords Premiers in senior club and provincial league competitions last winter.

Evidently as keen at touch as his brother, Jaydenn dislocated his shoulder last year and is awaiting surgery which will prevent him from travelling to the nationals this month and also from representing New Zealand in touch, a hugely disappointing blow.