Welcome and thank you for supporting the 21st anniversary of the Don Oliver Youth Sport Foundation.

 

“The Don Oliver” memorialises the work of Don Oliver, our greatest ever heavyweight weightlifter and pioneer in the fitness industry, for the work he did “under the radar” with West Auckland youth and for his pioneering work with asthma and depression.

 

Some of the youth were vulnerable. Some were exceptional talents.  Sir Michael Jones, greatest All Black of his generation was one as was Steve Oliver, Don’s son, a former world MMA champion and now a leading light guiding others in that field.

 

Our founders decided that the Don Oliver Youth Sport Foundation should provide financial and other assistance to young West Auckland athletes in any sport, who had the talent, results and X-factor to reach the top of their sport.

 

“The Don Oliver” has given 219 scholarships or training grants to 137 exceptional West Aucklanders aged 14 – 21.

 

Do we make a difference? Yes. There hasn’t been a New Zealand Commonwealth or Olympic Games team since1998 without at least one past or present scholar in it.  There have been up to nine at some games. We have had junior national, international, Commonwealth, Olympic, and Oceania champions.   Included are Lauren Boyle one of the world’s great women swimmers; Gabrielle Fa’amausili a world champion and record holder; Tyla Nathan-Wong, a world champion in womens’ sevens and touch; Carl Evans, yachting world champion; Nicole Mettam and Samantha Tawharu, members of the most successful New Zealand squad at any FIFA World Cup.

 

Tonight, you will hear from the 20 truly outstanding youngsters who our selectors have chosen for 2017/18. You will be amazed, awed, dazzled and plain gob-smacked at what these young people have done with their lives and are capable of doing in the future.

 

We pay tribute to:

Maureen Oliver, our patron and founders Maureen, Sir Bob Harvey QSO, Ross Dallow QPM, MNZM, Bryan Heron MNZM, Bernie Allen, Kerry Tizard and the late Chris Timms, Olympian.

 

Our selectors: Simon Wickham,
Gael Nagaiya and Kirsten Hellier.

 

The Sponsors and Friends named in this booklet – who help form “the village that brings up our sporting children”.

 

Our ambassadors: 
Sir Bob Harvey,
Ross Dallow, Bryan Heron, Kerry Tizard, Pat Heron and Nic Schouten.

 

For the Trustees:

Alan Parry,  Angela Hurst, Colleen Acton, Stefan Crooks,  Marc Oliver, Mike Ocego and Steve Oliver.

 

Dai Bindoff

Chairman

 

 

 

My personal thanks also to Jackie O’Rourke, Pat Heron, Sir Bob, Neville Eade of DesignCom
and Steven Neville of Auckland Sport Photography for their contribution to this evening.