Ashburton College head girl Poppy Kilworth (left) and deputy principal Jono Hay work the pedals during their 24-hour cycling challenge fundraiser. Photo Adam BurnsA 24-hour cycling fundraiser has generated more than $2500 for the local Salvation Army with the opportunity to donate still open.

Members of the Ashburton College student executive wanted to do a fundraiser post-lockdown to support a local organisation that had supported the community during the lockdown.

They opted to take on a 24-hour cycling challenge using spin bikes, spending half of the time at Countdown north in a hope to attract public attention.

“It went really, really well, it exceeded our expectations,” head girl Poppy Kilworth said.

“The public were really supportive and lots of people stopped by to see what we were doing.”

A Givealittle page was set up for the event, which will remain open till Friday, and collection containers were set up at Countdown during the event.

They also had a collection area for food donations, with people also showing their support that way by donating more than six banana boxes worth of items.

Fifteen students took part in the challenge, with a number of teachers and the public getting in on the fun.

Jonty Small managed the furthest distance out of the students, recording around 40km for his hour stint.

Rangitata MP Andrew Falloon rode along with the students for the final hour, notching up a respectable 35.5km.

In total, the students covered more than 550km.

Starting at 8pm at Kilworth’s house, they livestreamed the first four hours of the challenge on Instagram before providing regular updates through the early hours of Saturday morning.

“It was us four head students and two exec members that did the 1am to 7am stint,” Kilworth said.

“I think I only got about 20 minutes’ sleep in the 24 hours.”

Cold temperatures meant a stint to warm up on the bike was an inviting proposition, with temperatures early on Saturday morning at around -3°C.

“We just really want to thank everyone for their support, we want to thank the EA Networks Centre for donating the bikes, and everyone that stopped by and donated, and Countdown for letting us use their space,” deputy head boy Kyle Cabangun said.

© The Ashburton Guardian - 18 June 2020

Ashburton College pupil Jacob Gray has emerged as a hockey umpire on the rise. A fortnight ago he was awarded the 2020 Outstanding Official, Referee, Umpire Junior gong at the Mid Canterbury Sports Awards. Photo Adam BurnsThe evolution of Jacob Gray from talented hockey player to talented hockey umpire has been a win-win for the Ashburton teen.

It has helped the 16-year-old establish a comprehensive vantage point into the game he loves, where both roles complement each other.

However, it has been as an umpire where Gray has truly flourished, and the accolades have followed.

The Ashburton College pupil clinched the Outstanding Official, Referee or Umpire Junior award at the Mid Canterbury Sports Awards a fortnight ago.

For Gray, it was gratifying that umpires were being acknowledged.

“It’s really nice that umpires were receiving recognition because it doesn’t happen often,” he said.

“It was cool.”

Gray achieved multiple breakthroughs including being handpicked to officiate national-level finals, not once but twice, in what was a momentous year in 2019 for the teen.

He was in charge at the business end of the National Under-15 Boys’ Premier Tournament in Whangarei, where he officiated a quarter-final, a semi-final and the final.

It followed an appointment for the final at the Johnson Cup final in Invercargill.

Other honours have included the National Under-18 Women’s Association tournament, the Canterbury Secondary Schools’ Premier League and the Mid/South Canterbury senior men’s, senior women’s, 1st and 2nd grade men’s competitions.

“I like travelling the country, that’s pretty cool,” he said.

Mid Canterbury Hockey insiders believe the standard of his officiating performances defy his age.

And he has done it whilst juggling school and commitments as a player.

The opportunities are likely to be restricted this year for Gray, much to his disappointment.

He also expressed his desire to trial for the Canterbury under-18 team as a player which has also been put on the back-burner.

National secondary school hockey tournaments won’t feature AshColl, or Gray with the whistle, as exams now clash with tournament week following a Covid-related interruption to the school year.

“Especially my last year, it’s pretty gutting,” he said.

It could be a blessing for the dedicated youngster, with downtime not coming easily amid a packed schedule.

“After lockdown I decided to get a job because sport was still up in the air,” he said.

“That’s still working at the moment with after school stuff. And now I’ve got defensive driving as well.”

He has previously mentored up-and-coming officials, and at his busiest was umpiring up to six games a week during last season.

The Mid Canterbury senior representative believes his game has strengthened through his umpiring and vice-versa.

“I like to see the sport from a different perspective so that’s why I enjoy it,” he said.

“It helps me a lot, playing and umpiring, because I feel like once I stop playing I’ll stop learning about things to do when I am umpiring. It works both ways.”

The community game has ultimately benefited by Gray’s enthusiasm to get involved.

A shortage of umpires prompted Gray to give the job a crack.

“It’s a pretty thankless role and not many people want to do it,” he said.

“I was young enough at the time in which I did it for something to do.

“Then I just developed from there.”

Although his red-letter accomplishments in 2019 were significant, Gray pinpoints his promotion to the 2017 Hatch Cup gold medal match in Auckland as a major highlight.

“The year before I was a bit down because I was given a 15th and 16th playoff.”

“I went back the next year and I was given the final.”

Although he has been playing since primary school, Gray believes he is better suited to overseeing the game.

“I think I am a better umpire than I am a player,” he said.

“I probably wouldn’t have admitted to that a couple of years ago.

“But I understand the game.”

By Adam Burns © The Ashburton Guardian - 16 June 2020

Mid Canterbury basketball stalwart Colleen Lindsay was awarded the Robilliard Trophy for services to sport this week. Photo Adam BurnsThe epitome of longevity.

As far as community stalwarts go, they don’t come more staunch than Colleen Lindsay.

A tireless sporting administrator for decades in Mid Canterbury, she has been a dogged toiler in the region ever since she was part of Mid Canterbury’s original basketball playing incarnation in the mid-50s.

She added another accolade to her astounding accomplishments this week as she was inducted into the Mid Canterbury administrators’ “hall of fame”.

A stunned Lindsay was awarded Mid Canterbury’s Robilliard Trophy for services to sport, the fourth ever recipient from Basketball Mid Canterbury (BBMC).

It caps an endless tenure across all facets of the sport as she faces retirement from the game she has dedicated her life to.

“They tell me I went white,” she said.

“It’s very humbling.

“There’s so many deserving people out there that you don’t know about.”

Lindsay initially grafted as a player in the region where she was part of the original Mid Canterbury women’s squad more than 60 years ago.

She was part of the representative team who hosted Australia back in 1960 at a time when the Mid Canterbury unit was stronger than Canterbury.

The Ashburton Sports Hall was the only international full-sized court in the South Island.

For many years, she represented her district at regional, South Island and national tournaments.

BBMC secretary Pauline Paterson said during the Robilliard Trophy presentation that there was always a desire to go a step further.

Even as a teen, she was already proving herself as a behind-the-scenes operator.

“I became secretary when I was about 18 and I got on the committee and it was a hard place to get off.”

As her competitive playing days wound down, a transition into administration and coaching was a natural one.

“When your playing days are over you have to find something else to do,” she said.

“I didn’t ever think about it really.”

Her administration roles included secretary for BBMC, treasurer at local competition games, and as an official at tournaments and wheelchair basketball games.

Never far from the action, Lindsay took on various tournament controller roles across all levels of basketball.

As a proficient dressmaker, she was an ideal person to helm rep team uniforms.

Alongside coaching various club and representative teams, she later received a Basketball New Zealand Long Service Award in 2007 for her contribution to the sport which had spanned half a century by this point.

“It’s nice, but you don’t do it for that,” she said.

“You do it because you love what you’re doing.”

Although Lindsay remains a BBMC committee member – a credit to her dedication – she has expanded her repertoire in other codes.

Like her father, she got involved in swimming.

Whenever she had any downtime, she became part of the Learn to Swim programme in Ashburton and is the current chairman of the Ashburton Special Olympics.

“Well it was a family tradition,” she said.

“My dad was a swimming coach and I helped him.

“I taught swimming for about 45 years and it’s something I enjoy doing. Giving back I guess.

“I’ve loved everything I’ve done.”

Although no moment stands out for Lindsay, she admitted her children remained her proudest achievement – despite inheriting their father’s genes.

“They’re taller than me … by a lot,” she said.

“Their father was 6 foot 3.”

Her daughters Michelle and Susan have both played representative basketball at under-18 and under-23 level.

By Adam Burns © The Ashburton Guardian - June 2020