A bit about me ...
I started competitive athletics when I was 16 yrs old after running in my younger days for Western Suburbs. Near the end of my first season after winning Auckland Colt Sprint Titles I was introduced to Coach Russ Hoggard who took me into his training squad. From there I progressed well to become NZ Junior 400m Champ and NZ Junior 100m record holder. As a senior athlete I won my first NZ 100m title in 1973, then again in 1975 and 1977.
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NZ National Champion
Steve Erkkila
Sprint Training
Chris (The Blues Rugby Team)
1974, 1976, 1978
Seasons of huge disappointment for my Athletic Career
1977 ...

In 1977 I also won the NZ 200m title and set the NZ 100m record of 10.4. Unfortunately serious ill health prevented me competing in 1974, 1976 and 1978. All Commonwealth or Olympic Games years of competition, however I did represent NZ every year I competed and my highlight was making the World Cup team in 1977 to Germany and Coach Russ Hoggard was also part of the management team which was great to have your coach touring with you.
I was honoured in my shortened athletic career to have raced no fewer than 7 individual Olympic gold medalists over the 100, 200 and 400 metre distances.
I was also proud to be a member of the Auckland athletic junior relay teams that set NZ records in both the 100 and 400 metre relays, then as a senior athlete I was equally as thrilled to be member of both the 100 and 400 metre relay teams that constantly broke the NZ record for both events.
2012 -
1982 ...

1982 Otahuhu (Leopards) Premier rugby league team
Sprint and Running Mechanics coach. Introduced short sharp explosive speed work to the club rather than long forms of fast work they were doing in that era of the game
- Won the Roope Roster Chammpionship that year
- Team comprised of Hugh Mcgahan - 53 tests for NZ 17 as captain
- Owen Wright 16 tests for NZ and Joe Ropati 9 tests for NZ
- 1994 ...
In 1994 I was proud to win the Silver medal in the mens 40 to 44 age group for the 400 metres at the World Master Games. In 2000 I set up a training school for sprinting based at Mt Smart and over the next 4yrs helped many young athletes improve their running mechanics and over all speed. Many of these athletes went on to win Auckland or NZ titles and represent their country in their chosen events and are still competing at present.
2012 ...
NZ Vodafone Warriors speed and running mechanics coach. Trained the senior squad that included Simon Mannering, Shaun Jonhston, Manu Vatuvei (The Beast) and all the current senior players except for the Englishman Sam Tonkins.
Other Coaching Achievements
- Member of the athletics coaching association of NZ.
- NZ Secondary Schools sprint and relay coach.
- Auckland athletics sprint and relay coach.
- Athletics North sprint and relay coach.
- Director of Coaching for Mt Albert grammar sprint academy.
- Sprint coach for Waitakere Athletics.
- Sprint/Mechanics coach for North Harbour Hockey.
- Vodafone Warriors sprint mechanics coach.
- Speed mechanics coach for various teams at Northcote Rugby.
- East Coast Bays Rugby and East Coast Bays Soccer.
- Speed coach for North Harbour Gymnastics Club.
- Pt Chev Athletics Club speed mechanics coach.
- Bays Cougars Athletic club sprint/mechanics and relay coach
- Millennium LTAD coach