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Supermac gets Award
by Rab Smith

Neil Mackenzie has been honoured ( at last... ) with a Services to Sport Award at a NZSSSC Board meeting recently. He will be presented with this award by Clive Rennie, NZSSSC Chairman, at a special assembly at Kaikorai College on Tuesday. He also will be honoured at the OSSSA “Thank You Function” on the 2 December.

For the uninitiated, all those 'S"s relate to Secondary School sports. Personally I am more comfortable with Macs involvement in Football, and while I have enjoyed watching midweek school football myself - the sight of Neil organising school teams in bitter wintry conditions, puting nets up, giving inspired team talks, and generally inspiring his players - is something that he has done at all levels for years.

A former top goalkeeper he is one of New Zealand's best qualified Football coaches ( see footnotes ), and has inspired at all levels from schools, Youth Football, local Club Football, National League Football, and also at the highest international level with NZ representative sides.

In our remote Southern location, Mac has never stopped pushing Otago's case for recognition, and few Jafas have escaped his persuasive arguements that ' our lads are as good as any,' its just that we might have less in numbers.

Never one to have Otago talent excluded, Neil has compensated by running tours, and missions overseas that are the stuff of legend.

We are not just speaking of across the ditch, although that was well covered, the affable coach has led Otago Football tours to more destinations than Marco Polo, who according to Neil could have been a decent striker if he trained harder.

Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bankok. Plus South American journeys to Buenos Aires, Santiago to famous clubs and coaches who now speak with a Kiwi accent. If you have not heard about Otago beating Boca Juniors you must be a hermit.

Then the Pacific, Vanuatu, Fiji and islands so small he had to negotiate to get training space, and if it required the Otago lads to climb a mountain in their best kit, then go to Church on Sunday and shake hands with the whole congregation - so be it. The local chief was pleased to help.

He invaded the UK with his teams, and played matches against hardnosed professional opposition which opened a few kiwi kids eyes - and they were the better for it. Returning home with renewed determination to succeed after meeting Man Utd legends such as Ole Gunnar Solskjær, pic right at Milk Cup.

Possibly the Crown of Neils achievements has been a decade of taking Otago teams to Northern Ireland where his teams played in the famous Milk Cup in Coleraine, and in fact this year brought back some silverware.

Mackenzie extended horizons for local boys with opposition from countries such as - Argentina Austria Australia Bermuda Brazil Belgium Bulgaria Cameroon Canada Chile Costa Rica Denmark Estonia England France Fiji Finland Georgia Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Isreal Italy India Jersey Japan Malta Norway Northern Ireland Netherlands New Zealand Paraguay China Poland Portugal Qatar Republic of Ireland Samoa Scotland USA Uruguay Ukraine Liechtenstein Singapore Slovenia Solomon Islands Senegal Sweden Serbia and Montenegro Turkey Peru Russia Switzerland Venezuela Spain Mexico South Africa and Wales - to name but a few....

And exotic club opposition such as Manchester United, Tottenham, Hibernian, Chelsea, plus Dynamo Kiev, Deportivo Brazil, Cruz Azul, Hertha Berlin, Borussia Dortmund, Fluminense.... far too many to mention them all.

Incredibly, Neil never has problems with Language, he speaks Football fluently, and always treats Foreign superstars as he would his mates.

And the big guy has mates everywhere - which can stretch a simple stroll to the Octagon into a lengthy marathon of conversations as he runs into former pupils, old staff members, Football players and even referees...

While Shannon patiently waits...

Well done, Neil. The Otago football community salutes you.

Enthusiasts may want to read on - a potted History of Macs Football Life - my idea, he would never reveal such an auspicious list...

Qualifications :

Qualifications
1. Masters       in       Sport Coaching       and    Sport Administration          Massey          University
2. Bachelor      of       Arts    Otago            University      (MBS)            1998
3. Diploma       in       Secondary      Teaching       Christchurch College          of       Education      1974
4. Oceania       Football         Federation     Level Three Senior            Coaching Badge       January ,     1979
5. NZ    Football         Association   Level Three Senior            Coaching       Badge            December      1973
6. NZ    Coaches        Association   Level Two   Coaching       Certificate

International            Tours           Undertaken
1. 1984       .Oceania         .World .Youth .Cup    .Qualifying     .Competition, Sydney Australia
2. 2002         NZ Secondary Schools, Tour to Northern Ireland, Eire Republic, Wales, England & Spain
3. 2003          NZ      Secondary      Schools          Tour   of       New   Caledonia      and    Vanuatu
4. Otago          Youth Development Tours
January            2000         Malaysia       and    the     United           Kingdom
November        2001         Argentina      and    Chile
November        2002          Vanuatu
2003   - 2009 &       2011 Milk   Cup    Tours to       Northern        Ireland

Otago Football       Association            Appointments
1. Several        appointments            as      Otago            senior            Coach            during            the     period 1985 –        2000
2. Junior           coaching        appointments            at       the     following       levels:
3. Otago          U15,   U16,   U18    and    U20    teams            over   a        30      year   period
4. The Otago            Youth Development Squad            1999 to       2009 &       2011

NZ       Football       Association            Coaching    Appointments
1. 1982            –        1985 NZ      U20    assistant       Selector/Coach
2. 1998            –        1999 NZ      U20    Assistant       Selector/Coach
3. NZ    Secondary      Schools          Assistant       Selector/Coach          1999 -‐      2001
4. Several        appointments as   Otago Football Association   Regional        Coach from   1983 to       1999
5. Selector/Coach        and    Selector/Assistant     Coach            to       the     South Island            U18    Squad

Over   20      years            coaching    in       Senior          football        at
1. The NZ      Football         Association   National        League          with
Dunedin           City    AFC
Dunedin           Technical       AFC
2. The NZ      Football         Association   Super Club   League
3. Southern      Regional        League          with
Roslyn Wakari AFC
Caversham      AFC
Green Island   AFC
University        AFC
Hallswall         AFC    Christchurch
Hungaria         AFC    Wellington

NZ       Football       Association            Courses      Run and/or assisted      on:
Coaching         Badge            Courses         assisted:
1. Level            Three Lincoln           College          Twice
2. Level            Three Dunedin         Twice
3. Otago          University  Phys Ed Third Year Students   Sport Coaching Soccer, 1983 - 2000
4. Numerous    Level One   and    Two   Courses         from   1984 –        2000

Football         Administration
1. 1972            –        1974 Roslyn           Wakari           AFC    Committee    President       1974
2. Save Otago            Soccer            (SOS) steering         Committee    some time   in       the     ‘90’s.
3. Soccer          Otago            Youth Development (SOYD)           Board 1999 –        2010
4. Football       Otago            Youth Development Academy       Charitable     Trust            (FOYDAT)      Founding        organiser
and      Chairman       2011.

Football         playing        experience
1. Three           years in       the     National        League
1971    Dunedin         Suburbs
1972    Caversham
1979    Wellington    Diamond        United
2. One Season           in       Australia   represented   Mount Isa in The Nation wide Quantas Cup
3. Seven           years in       the     Regional        Travelling      Leagues

Footballsouth 2010