Great recognition for our very own Pete Taitoko who has been nominated for the 2019 Ann Nicholson Award, presented to a community rugby member who has shown consistent support and provided outstanding services to Women’s Rugby. That’d be Pete!
Congratulations Pete, we’re very proud of you and the example you set our young players, boys and girls!
🏉💪👏😃
Here is the nomination as announced by Women’s Rugby Victoria:
#3 Nominee for the Ann Nicholson award.
Our next nominee is best described as a solutions man, he creates opportunities for connection to build his community.
With two strong beliefs/key points in building strong communities, first point no egos and second point collaboration.
Keeping these two key points Kiwi Hawthorn Rugby Union Club proud Peter Taitoko saw a gap within our rugby community and started his journey.
Peter has been noiminated as the key initiator to drive the touch program. With only three girls in his U/7s team he faced many challenges with placement and where to put his future Wallaroos players.
Peter put his hand up to coach these girls driving his initiative to build a competition and pathway for them to stay in rugby.
Peter took his knowledge of community building and started recruiting where he knew would create a solid foundation because the unsuspecting ‘volunteers’ were already committed. Pete took to the families sitting on the sideline rain,hail or shine watching their kids play rugby on Saturday morning and the ripple effect started. Drawing in siblings encouraging other supportive families to get in amongst it all and build onto the movement.
Throughout 2018 and 2019, as the girls playing numbers have grown, Pete has continued to be a leader for promoting the girl’s game and is often the contact point/organiser for ensuring the gala days run as
smoothly as possible. In 2019 he began progressing the under 11s through to tackle with exhibition games against Power House, helping facilitate the first Under 12 Girls tackle games in conjunction with PowerHouse.
It is not an overstatement to say that without Pete Taitoko we wouldn’t have a thriving Under 11/Under 15s female competition.
Peter acknowledges and thanks the clubs who took a chance on his initiative and built it to what we have today.
You can catch Peter at his beloved club and he will happily give you tips on how you can get your kids involved or rope you in to completing a 90min course online to referee the touch 7s games.
Peter, the WRDA and wider rugby community thank you for the significant time you have put in to create opportunities in building the foundation and introduction of basic rugby union in Victoria.
You can hear more about all our nominees this Wednesday 4th December 2019 at the Melbourne Rebels and Rugby Victoria women in union event.
Kiwi Hawthorn Junior Rugby 