Selwyn Times: May 08, 2019

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SELWYN TIMES Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Wednesday May 8 2019 25
Time to step down
for sports trust boss
• By Jacob Page
MIKE LAY believes the timing is right for
him to step down as Selwyn Sports Trust
chairman.
Mr Lay has been in the role since just
after the 2011 earthquake and said it was
time for him to step back and let fresh
blood with new ideas step up.
“It’s always positive to bring in fresh
blood with new ideas that can offer fresh
motivation to the trust,” he said.
“The trust is in a very good position so
now is as good of a time as any.”
Mr Lay grew up on a farm in Irwell and
has been a life-long contributor to both
rugby and cricket in the region. He is also
Canterbury Rugby Football Union vicechairman.
When he was first approached to be
part of the trust in 2011, he said it fitted
perfectly with his philosophy.
“We had a running group in Leeston
that was holding an event and my wife,
Pauline, and I helped with that and we
said at the end of it that we wanted to put a
structure in place so it could happen again
and things went from there,” he said.
“I’m just bloody passionate about sport
and absolutely passionate about seeing
people involved and participating in
sport,” he said.
“I wanted to ensure we were getting
structures within Selwyn, which was
a growing district at the time postearthquake,
and make sure we could
allow for people to participate in sport in
Selwyn, particularly in the youth space.”
Mr Lay has since become a keen runner
and has completed three marathons.
“Largely that was a result of the drive of
some of the people involved in the trust.
When you’ve run one, unfortunately you
think you can run two, and you become
competitive with yourself, but it’s more the
feeling of accomplishment when you cross
that finish line.”
He takes great satisfaction in what the
SPORT
trust has achieved during his involvement.
“We started on a shoe-string and now
we have six people employed, all delivering
sport in Selwyn,” he said.
“We started on a voluntary basis and
then (chief executive Mike Wilson) started
one day a week and we eventually got
him to five days and now he has a team
of people underneath him who share our
passion for sport and getting kids active in
sport.”
Mr Lay said his wife has been a key
component in the trust’s success.
“She’s been the secretary of the trust and
been one of our key volunteers at countless
events over the years and she’s done a lot of
administration work in the background
and has been absolutely invaluable.”
Mr Lay said one of his fondest moments
was witnessing the growth of the Koru
Games.
“It was the third or fourth Koru Games
and I’d just come out of a tough meeting
and I went down to Lincoln and watched
1000 kids compete in sport (which) was
an absolute moment of pride.”
He said he will still be a regular at
the trust’s events and he will continue
running to keep his new hip fully
functional.
Mr Wilson said the work put in by
Mr and Mrs Lay has been immensely
important over the years.
He said a new chairperson should be
confirmed in the next couple of weeks.
Mr Lay said he wants the trust to
continue to grow and build relationships
within the Selwyn community and for
the district to support the trust in its
endeavours.
TEAM: Pauline and Mike Lay at the New York Marathon. Their love of running
has grown over the time they have been involved in the Selwyn Sports Trust.
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