28/08/2026
Bit of a gratitude post.
Tonight was the Japan worlds teams last training together.
It was really just a bit of team building, mental training and a bit of a debrief before we all head overseas. I've watched everyone pull together to support one another at the tournaments and it's amazing to see the team come together over the last 9 months.
Everyone has had to overcome some major hurdles to get to where they are.
We've had injuries, losses, sandbagged out divisions, inexplicable referee decisions. The parents and extended family have had their kids backs the whole time, driving to Auckland, paying for tape, baking cakes, and often acting as proxy coaches when 3 or 4 of the kids compete at rhe same time. Thank you. We've sold enough sausages to feed everyone in Whangarei 3x over. We ran raffles, door knocked, and leant on our friends to help raise funds to get everyone there. We hosted a quiz night which was out of this world. They say it's the journey that matters not the results. The journey we have embarked on this year has been a memorable one and I hope our time in Japan creates even more lifetime memories. It's a privilege to have spent the last 9 months working together with everyone on our goals and I am excited to see you reach your potential next week. See you all in Japan. 頑張ろう。
