Young coach recognised by SPARC
Netball, golf, basketball and Ki o-rahi coach Luken Chamberlain: “there’s a place for everyone in a good team performance”. Photo: Neil Wilson.
Luken Chamberlain (16) is the 2011 SPARC regional sport student volunteer winner.
The award was presented to Luken last Friday at a breakfast meeting at Saxton Field, meaning that he and his loyal mum, Cherie had to be on the road at 5.30am.
Luken coaches netball, golf, basketball and Ki o-rahi in the Bay. He also referees basketball and plays golf. He is one of the Takaka Golf Club’s “young guns” and had already represented his province at age-group level.
Luken says he enjoys helping others to enjoy their sport almost as much as he enjoys playing.
“My mum is right into coaching so I guess it was easy for me to get involved as well. I like getting out there and having fun while helping the team out.”
Luken says that it is up to the teams to decide what their goals should be, then it becomes the coach’s job to explain the techniques and devise the strategies for achieving those goals.
“I like the way individuals and teams work, how working together makes things happen better and the way there’s a place for everyone in a good team performance - those who are the heroes and those who are the workers.”
Having the knack of helping others to improve their performance might lead Luken into some form of coaching as a career, he says.
Neil Wilson
