June 2026 Issue
Koutou ngā matanga nō te ao hākinakina, tēnā koutou,
Welcome to the June 2026 edition of Coaches Kōrero.
This month, we are pleased to profile two outstanding coaches making a significant impact within their environments — rowing coach Mike Rodger and Ellie Tresidder, Head Coach of the Remarkables Freeride Programme. Their insights, experiences, and approaches to coaching excellence provide valuable learning for us all. We have also included key highlights from the recent webinar featuring James Sandilands and Hamish Kerr — a session filled with practical wisdom and high-performance insights that I know many of you will find extremely valuable.
We are also grateful to Henry Moore from Tavendale and Partners for contributing an informative article focused on employment contract advice for coaches. His “Top 10 Clauses Every Coach Should Understand Before Signing an Employment Contract” is highly relevant in today’s sporting landscape. As a reminder, all Te Korowai members are entitled to one hour of complimentary legal advice each membership year. If you would like to access this support, please contact our General Manager, Andrew Gaze, at [email protected].
On June 1, we held our Annual General Meeting, and I would like to share a few reflections drawn from my Chair’s report.
There is no doubt that coaching in New Zealand continues to operate within a demanding and evolving environment. Across many sports, coaches are navigating increasing performance expectations, changing system structures, expanding athlete wellbeing responsibilities, and the ongoing challenge of balancing performance outcomes with sustainable wellbeing and career longevity. Resource pressures, extensive travel demands, and uncertainty within parts of the sporting system have all contributed to what has been a challenging period for many within our coaching community.
Against this backdrop, I believe Te Korowai continues to play an increasingly important role in supporting, connecting, and advocating for performance coaches throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. Our purpose remains clear — to strengthen the coaching profession and ensure coaches feel valued, connected, and supported within the environments they serve.
With this in mind, I would like to acknowledge and sincerely thank our advisory partners — Tavendale & Partners, Deloitte, Penberthy, and the Andy Longley-led wellbeing programme. Their expertise, generosity, and commitment to supporting our organisation are deeply appreciated and continue to add real value to our membership community.
Finally, despite the current economic challenges facing the sector, it has been extremely encouraging to see the continued growth of our membership, with 117 coaches joining Te Korowai since our inception. A strong and engaged membership base is fundamental to the long-term sustainability and influence of our organisation, and I would strongly encourage those considering membership to join our growing coaching community.
If you would like to become a member of Te Korowai, click here to fill out the membership form.
Ngā mihi,
Tom Willmott
Chair
Mike Rodger
A casual arrangement with champion single sculler Rob Waddell 18 years ago was enough to change the career path of Mike Rodger and with it, a celebrated climb to becoming one of New Zealand’s premier rowing coaches.
As an elite level athlete, Rodger won a silver medal in the lightweight men’s double sculls at the 1994 World Rowing Championships and represented New Zealand at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta before hanging up his oars.
In more recent times, he has continued to fashion a stellar coaching career as one of the most decorated coaches in New Zealand rowing history where he has been on hand for four Olympic medals, seven World Championship medals and more than 20 World Cup medals.
Ellie Tresidder
When Ellie Tresidder was a kid, she was told she shouldn’t play sport again and that she’d need a knee replacement before she was 25.
“I cracked the end of my femur after two big crashes growing up – one off my bike and one off my trampoline within a week of each other.”
“We just ignored the advice,” laughs the Queenstown local.
Now Tresidder is the Head Coach of the Remarkables Freeride Programme, spending her days active on the mountain doing what she loves.
Webinar Highlights
from Hamish Kerr & James Sandilands
Each month, Te Korowai hosts a webinar for it’s members. For our most recent one we had James Sandilands and Hamish Kerr on it.
Because it was so good, we wanted to share a few highlights.
