A look back at previous SBCOBA Sportsman of the Year award recipients.

As you will read in this newsletter, we are currently calling for nominations for our SBCOBA Sportsman of the Year award and our inaugural Cultural award which will be presented at the Old Boys Annual Dinner on Saturday 13 August. In this article, we take a look back and some of our previous sports award winners and hope this will inspire you to put forth a nomination for a Bedean(s) who has achieved at a similar level recently in either their sporting or cultural endeavors. 

2013 – Matt Henry, Cricket

The last recipient of our Sportsman of the Year award nine years ago really needs no introduction. Matt attended St Bede's from 2005 to 2009 and captained the cricket First XI in his final year. He went through the Canterbury age-group system playing in the Under 17 and 19 sides before making his Canterbury debut in 2011. After forming an impressive domestic career, Matt went on to debut for the Blackcaps in 2014 and is now a crucial part of the Blackcaps bowling unit. 

2012 – Jordan Bakermans, Golf 

Rising through the New Zealand amateur golf ranks, Jordon Bakermans (2007-2011) went on to become Canterbury's number one golfer in 2014. He represented New Zealand on the world stage at several events including the Asia Pacific Championship and won the Bledisloe Cup for leading amateur at the 2014 New Zealand Open.

2011 – Keelan Kilpatrick, Golf 

Keelan Kilpatrick (2006-2010) talents on the fairways saw him named Canterbury Junior Player of the Year for three consecutive seasons from 2009 to 2011 and New Zealand Junior team captain in 2010. He studied and played golf at the University of California, Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and competed worldwide on numerous tours including qualifying events for the PGA Tour Canada, PGA Tour Latinoamérica, Web.com Tour and PGA Tour.

2010 and 2006 – Shanan Stewart, Cricket 

Shanan Stewart (1996-2000) has twice been the recipient of our Sportsman of the Year award. Shanan was 19 when he made his first-class debut for Canterbury in the 2001-02 season. He played for New Zealand A against the England Lions in 2008-09 and made two half-centuries from three games, and the next season was named in a 30-man preliminary squad for the ICC World Twenty20. Fresh from a career-best 227 not out in the Plunket Shield (having made 161 the week before) he was called into New Zealand's one-day squad during the Chappell-Hadlee Series in March 2010 and played 4 ODIs. 

2009 – Elliot Dixon and Alex Ryan, Rugby

Both Elliot and Alex attended St Bede's from 2003 to 2007 and together they were part of the NZ U20 rugby team who won the 2009 IRB Junior World Rugby Championship in Japan. During his career, Elliot represented Southland in the ITM Cup, the Highlanders in Super Rugby (including several games as captain in 2017) and he made three test appearances for the All Blacks in 2016. Alex played for the Southland Stags from 2009 to 2012. 

2008 – Tony Popplewell, Sports Administration 

"An Olympic or Commonwealth Games team would not be the same without Tony", so states the NZ Olympic Committee's official website. Tony Popplewell (1955-1957) was a member of the 964 Tokyo New Zealand Olympic rowing team and he has held various management positions in every New Zealand Olympic or Commonwealth Games team since Auckland 1990. In 2007, Tony was appointed as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to rowing and sports administration.  

2007 – Luke Thompson, Rugby 

Many will remember Luke Thompson's (1994-1998) successful season for the First XV in 1998 which resulted in his selection for Southern Regions Rugby that year. He played for Canterbury from 2004 to 2006. Luke signed for the Sanyo Wild Knights in 2004 and subsequently qualified through residency to play for Japan in 2007. Luke became a regular member of the Japanese side playing 67 test match appearances including 14 at the Rugby World Cup. He was part of the side that achieved three wins at the 2015 Rugby World Cup including against two-time world champions South Africa.  

2005 – Tim Johnson and Stephen Guthrie, Wheelchair Rugby

Tim Johnson (1989-1993) captained the highly successful Wheel Blacks wheelchair rugby team, leading them to bronze and gold over two Paralympic Games. Tim competed in Sydney in 2000, Athens in 2004, and Beijing in 2008. He served as the president of New Zealand Wheelchair Rugby from 2003 to 2004, then again from 2011 until 2014, and has served as an Athlete Council representative on the New Zealand Olympic Committee from 2003 to 2014. In 2015, Tim was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to disability sport. 

Stephen Guthrie (1983-1985) was also part of the great success story of the Wheel Blacks wheelchair rugby team at the1996, 2000, and 2004 Paralympics. He was a member of the teams that won the bronze medal in Sydney in 2000 and gold in Athens in 2004. 

2004 - Jonathan Poff, Rugby 

The captain of the 2001 St Bede's First XV, Jonathan Poff (1997-2001) was selected for the New Zealand Secondary Schools Rugby and subsequently played in the NZ Colts team who won U-21 World Championship title in 2004. In 2009 he became the 139th player to take the field for the Canterbury Crusaders. In 2011 Jonathan joined the Aviva Premiership side London Wasp and on debut secured the man of the match award in his team's 20-15 victory over Saracens F.C. 

2003 – Jamie Duncan, Soccer 

"Jamie's passion for the game is unmistakable and he will be a player of the future. He has one of the best left foots I have ever seen" stated Paul Skerten, captain of the St Bede's soccer First XI in 1999. After making the New Zealand Secondary Schools team playing in Australia, defender Jamie Duncan (1995-1999) continued to play soccer at a high level eventually joining the Wellington Phoenix from 2009 to 2013. He was part of the NZF Cup-winning team in 2011 and 2012. 

2002 – Johnny Leo’o, Rugby 

Johnny Leo’o (1994-1996) made his NPC debut in 1999 and went on to play 6 games for Bay of Plenty and 60 games for Canterbury. As a flanker, he played 48 times for the Canterbury Crusaders between 2002 and 2007 before seeing out his professional rugby career in France until 2014. 

2000 – Glenn  Howard, Athletics

At 23 years of age, high jumper Glenn Howard (1990-1994) jumped 2.3 metres, this was higher than any New Zealander had up until that time. Glenn competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics where he finished tied for 27th place.  

1999 – Barry Gardiner, World Veteran Squash 

Barry Gardiner (1949-1954) has been involved with sports as a player and administrator at club, district, national and international levels. He has coached junior squash and has been a representative player at district and/or national levels across squash, tennis, rugby, rugby league, cricket, and athletics. Barry has been the Squash World Champion for Over 50, Over 60, and Over 70. In 2019, Barry was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Years' honours for services to sport and squash. 

1998 – Aaron Flynn, Rugby 

Halfback Aaron Flynn (1983-1986) is well known for his exploits on the rugby field. Aaron was a Sydenham Club stalwart who played 24 games for the Canterbury Crusaders between 1997 and 2000 and 54 games for Canterbury. In 1998, he played one game for NZ Maori.    

1997 - David Schaper, Rowing 

Rower Dave Schaper (1987-1991) is a two-time Olympian. Schaper teamed up with Toni Dunlop to compete in the coxless pair at the 1996 Atlanta Games, before representing New Zealand at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games in the coxless four.

1996 – Travis Wilson, Softball 

As a 19-year-old, Travis Wilson (1991-1995) won a world men's softball title with the Black Sox in 1996 and then went on to sign for the Atlanta Braves Major League Baseball Club. Travis is currently an assistant coach for the Florida State University Seminoles softball team.

1995 – Vance Stewart, Rugby 

Vance Stewart (1986 -1990) represented Canterbury at the provincial level and was a member of the All Blacks in 1976 and 1979. Although he played in 12 matches for our national side, he did not appear in any official tests. Vance went on to coach Canterbury from 1993 to 1996 and was the inaugural Crusaders coach in 1996.  

1994 – Ralph Lattimore, Basketball 

Ralph Lattimore (1983-1984) began his career with the Canterbury Rams, later representing the Nelson Giants and Auckland Stars, helping the later to five national titles in his six years with them. Ralph was named the league’s outstanding guard in ’95 and was a staple of the Tall Blacks sides of this era, going on to represent New Zealand at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. 

1993 – Mark Keddell, Athletics 

The achievements of sprinter Mark Keddell (1988-1992) are legendary at St Bede's and beyond. He placed 44th out of 78 at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. Then after winning his Sportsman of the Year award here, Mark went on to win the 100m and 200m metre titles at the New Zealand Track and Field Nationals in 1995. That same year he set a New Zealand record of 20.51 for 200m which was a New Zealand record at the time. 

1992 – Scott Brownlee 1982-1986 and Patrick Peoples 1983-1986, Rowing

Scott Brownlee (1982-1986) and Patrick Peoples (1983-1986) represented New Zealand in the Men's Coxless Four at the 1992 Barcelona where they placed 6th. Scott also went on to compete at the 1996 Atlanta and the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

1991 – Jon Preston, Rugby 

Jon Preston (1981-1985) represented Canterbury and Wellington at a provincial level and the Hurricanes in Super Rugby. He was a member of the All Blacks from 1991 to 1997, playing 27 matches including 10 internationals. Jon went on to be an assistant coach for the Highlanders from 2012-2017 and has been a Rugby Commentator on Sky Sport.

1990 - George Keys, Rowing

"George Keys was one of the most durable rowers in recent New Zealand rowing history" declares the NZ Olympic Committee's official website. George Keys (1973-1976) was in the New Zealand world champion eights crews in 1982 and 1983 (the 1982 crew won the Sportsman of the Year award and was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame in 1995) and narrowly missed an Olympic medal in Los Angeles in 1984, when the eight placed fourth, having won their heat. He was a member of the coxed four that won the Olympic bronze medal in Seoul in 1988.

1989 – Daniel Halligan, Football 

Daniel Halligan (1978-1982) played football at the provincial level before making his debut for the All Whites in a 1-1 draw against Australia in 1987 and ended his international playing career in 1993 with 36 international caps and 5 goals to his credit. He spent spent 2 years with Brisbane United in the Australian National Soccer League from 1991 to 1993.  

1988 – Andrew Earl, Rugby 

Andy Earl (1977-1978) clocked up 45 appearances and 57 game points for the All Blacks during this international career. The 1978 Bedean mentions Andy as "the tight loose man, strong on drive, equally at home at number 8 or flanker. Perhaps the most consistent of the line-out forwards, he also lead the pack well when John Corcoran (captain) was injured."