Jessie Honey, Athletics, Netball, Basketball (13)

Junior Excellence Award 2018 (Sport)

Murrays Bay Intermediate student Jessie Honey is a super-talented sportsperson across athletics, netball and basketball. She started competing in athletics when she was nine at the Takapuna Athletic Club. In her first season she just competed at club level. When she was 10 years old she went to her first North Island Colgate Games and won gold medals as a runner in both the 100m and 400m.

When Jessie was 11 years old she competed strongly at both the North Island Colgate Games, Trans-Tasman Challenge in Sydney, as well as the Auckland Champs. Jessie broke several long-standing Auckland and club records.
A highlight of her Athletics to date was being selected in a small New Zealand team for the Pacific School Games held in Adelaide in December 2017. The standard at this event was high, as only the top three athletes from each State were entered per event. Jessie was the only New Zealand finalist in the both the 100m and 200m.
Jessie works hard in everything she does. She has received numerous awards for both her academic and sporting achievements. She also really enjoys competing in Netball and Basketball.  She has made North Harbour Representative teams in both sports, and been appointed Captain for both her representative teams. It is not surprising that Jessie won the Fay Mason Cup for All Round Excellence (Academic and Sport) while in year seven at Murrays Bay Intermediate on the back of these achievements:- Top Sports Girl Cup; Netball Cup; Basketball Cup; Athletics Cup; Cross Country Cup; Orienteering Cup.
Jessie was runner-up dux at Mairangi Bay Primary in her last year. She has enjoyed being in an extension class at MBIS, is a competent public speaker, and actively seeks leadership opportunities at school as well as on the sports field.  This year she was chosen by her peers and teachers to be a Mini School Leader.  She is also the MBIS Girls Sport Leader.
Jessie is trying to retain a balance of different sports, rather than focussing on just one sport yet. All three sports call upon speed, core strength and determination. Her abilities have been identified in all three sports with representative selection.
Jessie receives specialised running coaching from Steve Erkkila. It is unusual for an athlete to be dominant in New Zealand at both sprinting as well as 400m and 800m distances. By continuing to train at both, Jessie’s speed will be developed alongside her strength and stamina (necessary for the 400m and 800m). She also receives development coaching for Netball and Basketball as part of the Harbour Representative Programs.
"The award will allow me to keep challenging myself to reach the next level in netball and athletics,” said Jessie quizzed about what it would mean to win this award. "I really want to be excelling in both Netball and Athletics in 5-10 years time. My long term goal would to be either captaining a silver ferns team or dominating the track in Athletics.”
The funds will give Jessie the opportunity to compete in Athletics at all major New Zealand events, as well as events in Australia. The aim is to get her to as many events as possible, as exposure to major events in New Zealand and overseas at this stage in her career is critical to developing her as an athlete. With Jessie starting College next year that will also add the North Island and New Zealand Secondary School Champs to the athletic calendar.

Jessie Honey receives the Junior Excellence Award from the North Harbour Club – sponsored by Library Lane and NZ Force Construction – including a cash grant of $3,000.