Marist Brothers Old Boys Rugby Club

Ivan has been associated with the Auckland Marist Rugby Club for 40 years, where he enjoyed many successful years playing rugby through the grades including with the Senior team [now known as the Premiers] during a time when Marist rugby was a force to be reckoned with when other teams not only dreaded the players of Marist, but also the former home grounds at Liston Park during a legendary era for our club.

As a proud Pasifika representative and St Pauls College old boy, Ivan has always enjoyed working with youth within the club, schools, and community - making important connections for these future players to the Auckland Marist Rugby Club.

Ivan is a strong people’s person who continuously demonstrates what he was taught at St Pauls College towards "Building tomorrow's men today". Being a proud Marist member, Ivan strives for others to be able to experience the Marist aiga/whanau, as he often says, "for me it was life changing".

Ivan believes it is a privilege for him to be elected as the President of our Club, but what he does not know, it is a privilege for us to have him in this position... a true man of Mana and Strength.

Kevin became involved with the Auckland Marist Rugby Club in the mid 1980's where he was part of the U19 team coached by the late great Eric Kohlhase. Kevin moved through the playing grades to finally end up in the Marist Premier Team in 1989 where he remained until moving south in 1997 [look at his player profile in our Club's Achievements Section - Our Maori All Blacks].

Upon his return to Auckland Kevin took up coaching firstly with the U21 team, then moving to the Premier Men’s. Following his stint as coach, he once again returned to the playing ranks, this time in the President's grade reconnecting with a few old mates as well as having a bit of fun along the way. His last game with the President’s was in 2019 and his focus has moved on to now becoming the Club’s Vice President.

Kevin is excited by the opportunity to work alongside the rest of the Board to take the Marist Rugby Club through 2022 and beyond.

Davida’s rugby career began at the Marist Old Boys Rugby Club in the late 1980’s. She gained valuable leadership experience in the captaining of the Marist women’s team for 10 straight seasons. She played for the Auckland Women's Provincial team and then she became the first in a long line of Marist Black Ferns when she was selected for the New Zealand National team in 1993 as an smart ball winning openside flanker. Davida’s leadership was recognised as she went on to captain the Auckland Storm Provincial team to a number of National Provincial Championship titles and she was also given the honour of captaining the Black Ferns in a test match played against Spain at the 1998 Rugby World Cup [look at her player profile in our Club's Achievements Section - Our Marist Black Ferns].

After retiring from playing rugby in 2001, Davida was immediately thrust into the first-class coaching arena for the 2002 season when she was appointed as the coach of the Auckland Storm and her three-year term yielded three national titles. Davida also enjoyed coaching at international level with the Manusina [Manu Samoa Women's team] to the 2006 Rugby World Cup held in Edmonton. A break from Women's rugby saw her in a coaching role with Tangaroa College in the Auckland 1A First XV competition. A second three-year stint with Auckland Storm from 2009-2012 yielded another 3 titles for the province, but then in 2013 she was encouraged to Coach the newly formed Counties Manukau Heat team. For the three years she had with that team, she led them to be crowned winners of the inaugural Farah Palmer Cup [the Premier Trophy of New Zealand Women's Rugby]. The 2016 season also saw her coach the provinces women's sevens team which was also to be crowned National Champions. Although there seem to be a number of coaching successes outlined within this profile, she lists her most successful and enjoyable coaching experience being with coaching her son's junior basketball team and Sacred Heart College rugby team when he was in year 10 and 11.

Davida is currently the Principal of Rosehill College in South Auckland and she sits on two boards; the Hāpai Tūhono Charitable Trust and Rosehill College. She has been in education for over 30 years and has gained experience and knowledge that will support the direction of the club.

Davida hopes that the experience she has gained over the years will be able to make a difference to a club that has given her and her family so much.

As the previous board chair of Auckland Marist Bryan understands the importance of representing the interests of our communities past, present and future. This club holds a special place in service for our local and catholic community. This responsibility of service is embedded in the way that the board should function.

Bryan is married to Theresa. They have two children, Cooper and Mahalia. Cooper started in the nursery grades as a 5 year old and has been embedded in this club throughout his junior rugby experience. This year Cooper is attending Sacred Heart College with the benefit of being an experienced Marist man. Mahalia is in the beginning of her rugby journey but is enjoying the comradery of playing in one of the junior girls specific teams at the club. Supporting his children on the side-lines and spending time in the club has been his experience over the past 9 years. Bryan says that "Rugby is only part of the value of this club. The history, the stories, the people make it valuable."

Prior to this role, Bryan has been the Marist Juniors Chair, a coach, a manager, a referee and other ad-hoc roles that most whānau would be familiar with. Bryan has a governance background through experience on the Marist Juniors Committee, Marist Finance Committee, the ARU JRC, Stonefields School Board, the Tāmaki Touched Steering Commitee, the Suncorp Diversity & Inclusion Council, the Suncorp First Nations Council and chair of the Suncorp Ora Committee. Bryan says, "I now have the privilege to continue to work with a talented and experienced group at Auckland Marist to continue to serve our community."

"My family’s roots with the Auckland Marist Rugby Club began through my father Eric who was himself a player in the 1960's and 1970's for the club, who then became a successful Coach at the club, and who was subsequently made a Life Member of the club. My mother Ellen, my brother Chris, and my sisters Louise and Ruth have all had involvement with the club in many ways over the years.

Personally, I first played for our Auckland Marist Rugby Club in 1973 when I was a player in the junior grades [prior to going to St Peters College] and then playing again for Auckland Marist beginning in 1981 in what was the old Third Grade competition before progressively moving through the ranks to play for the senior team in the mid to late 80s. I am very proud to have been involved as a member of Under 21 and Senior teams from our club that have won Auckland Club Rugby Championships.

This will be my sixth year as a member of the Club's Board."

NOTE: Eddie is a legend of New Zealand Softball both as a player and as a Coach with the New Zealand "Black Sox". He was appointed in the 2014 Queen's Birthday Honours to be a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit as ecognition of services to softball.

Kia Ora, Talofa, Dia Dhuit! Marist Whānau

I am the father of two young girls who currently play rugby on Fridays and Saturdays for the Junior Club, I am one of the Assistant coaches for the Premier Development team, and when needed I still lace up for PD’s and OT’s as I still enjoy playing the game by helping out where possible.

My "Rugby Journey" started at Marist in 1987 as a junior playing For Marist St Joseph’s Onehunga. I played a number of years for Marist including for Marist St Peter’s where I continued my rugby development and I had many great memories playing as a junior for the Club. After some time playing away for the club, I returned to playing in the senior grades in 2004 and I have enjoyed lots of success both on and off the field with a lot of my mates over the many years. During my time at the club, I have been a player, an Assistant Coach, a Coach, and as a Manager for teams in both senior and junior club.

A large part of my life and my families life has been connected to the club, being one of the few senior players still playing from the Michaels Ave era (Liston Park). I do feel a great sense of responsibility to ensure the pride in the jersey is maintained and the connection to our proud history is kept alive. I was also involved in one of the first teams to transition to the Tāmaki Club pre the merge, an important milestone in our club's history and integral to ongoing development and success of our club that has also given me a strong connection with Tamaki Area

Over the last few years, I have gained some governance experience through my involvement in the junior club as a member of the Junior Committee. Working in various supporting roles through to Junior Chairman committee members and being involved in a number of Junior initiatives including fundraising and player engagement. In the last year I was fortunate to be invited to be part of the Board as a stand in and gain some insight to the governance of the club. I was involved in sub-committees for club Facilities and identity and committee for the JRC.

I am currently employed by Brian Perry Civil Ltd in the Role of Resource Manager in the practice area of Heavy infrastructure Piling. As a Senior Manager in the business I am responsible day to day operation of our piling business and currently sit on the SLT for our business unit. As qualified Civil Engineering Professional it is my intention to utilise my knowledge, Skill and some 25 years’ Experience in Construction and Civil Engineering to the benefit of our Club. A primary focus for my role on the board will be through the Subcommittees for Club Facilities and identity & Community Engagement I will also continue be voice for the Junior part of the Club in the subcommittee for the junior Club.

I am excited and energised to be part of this year’s board which has a good blend of experience and splash of new blood, I have a firm belief that our team will able to set the Club sailing in the right direction by maintaining our Clubs values, by staying true to our mandate and to uphold the requirements of our Club constitution to ensure our Juniors, Seniors, Women, Volunteers, Non-Playing Members, Life members Families and Alumni can be proud of their club on and off the field.

421 Marist.

Vania, of Samoan heritage, whose parents hail from the villages of Safotu, Tauese, Safune and Lauli’i of Sāmoa. The eldest daughter of Lavea Seve Lavea and Hana Lavea, who migrated to NZ in the 70s. With a background in sports management, programme and events management, Vania is married to Stephen Wolfgramm with two children. Extremely passionate about people, a fierce advocate for women in sport and her tautua / servitude at the base of her practice for the Pasifika communities.

Vania first started her playing career with Marist in the late 90s, joining her younger sister Justine Lavea. Vania went on to playing over 100 games for her beloved club Marist, became player/coach and led the Marist women’s 7s campaign for several years. A Black Fern, and Auckland Storm representative, Vania has continued her rugby career off field and is currently working for NZ Rugby as the National Game Development Manager – Women’s Rugby.

Vania has demonstrated and has been instrumental in the remarkable participation results in women and girls’ rugby. Vania has been a key driver in creating space for women and girls by way of the Pasifika Aotearoa Cup (PAC) Tournament - a focus on equal playing opportunities for all players, catering for different ages and experiences, whilst keeping the cultural aspects of Māori tikanga and Pasifika cultural values which underpins the delivery of the tournament. With her leadership currently in game development, it has seen the creation and now leads the Inaugural World Rugby accredited Ako Wāhine educator programme. The NZ Rugby programme provides development to build a confident and competent network of women in rugby, with a specific and intentional focus on empowerment and environments.

As an alumnus of the US Department of State and espnW Global Sports Mentoring Programme, Vania wears multiple hats and continues to serve in spaces that she is passionate about; A board director to the Pasifika Aotearoa Women in Sport In cooperated (PAWSI), a SKY Sport commentator, a sports reporter for Kava Bowl Media as well as coaching the Auckland Samoa women’s team. Vania was elected to the Auckland Marist as a board director in 2019.

“I hope to contribute and give back to the club, where it all started for me, a club that has given me so much and has enabled me to have the opportunities that I am fortunate to still experience today”.

Responsible for setting strategy, direction, and policy.

CLUB PRESIDENTS

President | Ivan Tasi

Vice President | Kevin Nepia

MANAGEMENT BOARD

Board Chair| Davida Suasua

Board Member | Bryan Fox

Board Member | Eddie Kohlhase

Board Member | Michael Tokoma

Board Member | Vania Wolfgramm

CLUB ARU DELEGATES

Club ARU COD |