Congratulations to Sinama Latailakepa (St Oran's College) and Hoani Smith Jnr (Naenae College) for winning the 2024 Pelorus Trust Service to School Sport award.

Sinama Latailakepa

Sinama is St Oran's Sports Captain for 2024.  She is well respected by her peers and staff alike and has taken an active leadership in school sport.  Over the course of 2024 she:

• Organised House Athletics and added some innovative new events
• Organised and ran a year 9 and 10 school Dance as a sport fundraiser.
• Assisted with the School’s Ronald McDonald fundraiser
• Organised and ran, in its entirety, the first interschool exchange since pre covid times.
• Began a SOC Sport newsletter highlighting sporting achievements of St Oran's students in all codes.
• Organised and ran a move it week

Sinama is also an outstanding player featuring in the St Oran's Premier Volleyball team, Captain and most outstanding player of the Premier netball team.  Nominated by her coaches as Team Champion of the Premier Dragon Boat Team, Team Champion of the Premier Touch team and Team Champion of the Premier Badminton Team.  She has also co-coached the St Oran's Senior 3 netball team.  She is a person who puts others before herself and her contribution to School sport has been outstanding.

Hoani Smith Jnr

Hoani Jnr is an amazing athlete, umpire and someone who just loves to connect with people through sport.  He plays in the following Naenae College teams:

• Senior Basketball
• Mixed Touch
• Mixed Ki o Rahi 
• Mixed Netball 
• 3x3 Basketball 

Additionally, he is also a member of:

• NZSS Mixed Touch squad
• Wellington Mixed U23 Netball team

Hoani has been a Basketball referee and assisted with score benching and officiating at many local, regional and national tournaments.  He was also the lead coach for the Naenae junior referees clinic held at the College. Hoani helped run a free basketball program for Naenae students to help them upskill.

As an ex-Naenae Intermediate student, Hoani Jnr first coached at NIS before transferring to Naenae College where he was assistant coach to the Jnr As Basketball team.  He has been a massive contributor to the sports programme at Naenae.

History