The Adastra Foundation

3 days ago

Meet @_asher.hart a passionate and talented mountain biker from Tauranga. When he’s not training or competing you’ll still find him out riding. He’s always been on a bike but after one mountain bike with some friends he’s was hooked and has never looked back.

Mountain biking has taken Asher to some really cool spots to compete, including Italy and Switzerland. Another highlight he’s had on his bike was completing the Everest Challenge on a tough track in Rotorua’s Redwoods. Riders had to ride the elevation of Everest (8848m). The realities of this feat were 160km of riding, 32hrs no sleep and 9000m of climbing 🏔️

Adastra has opened Asher up to different pathways to improvement and ways he can grow as a rider. His love and confidence on the bike is seen by everyone who knows him and he would tell his younger self to ‘keep doing what he is doing’.

Asher knows the risks of such a sport but is smart about it. Injuries come and go but he makes sure to focus on getting ready for what’s next. Welcome to the Adastra whanau Asher ☺️
@tectnz ... See MoreSee Less

The Adastra Foundation

1 week ago

Meet @hamishmurray7 an extremely talented runner from Tauranga. Not only has he performed at school in leadership roles, he has also represented New Zealand multiple times on the track and at cross country 🏃🏽

Hamish is already a decorated runner for his age, travelling overseas compete and wear the Silver Fern. With all of this he still understands the important stuff telling us the advice he would give his younger self is ‘just to run’ and giving his training partner @samueltanner_ a special shout out 👨🏼‍🤝‍👨🏽

Having always been involved in athletics he started taking running more seriously when he was 12. Hamish enjoys relaxing when he’s not busy and knows how important resting your body is. If running wasn’t his thing he would have continued playing football - a sport he has always loved ⚽️

He mentioned Adastra has already helped him this year in understanding the importance of social media and other factors of being an athlete outside the track.

Hamish is no stranger to challenges. A major injury last year saw him spend 14 weeks watching his brother and friends continue to push on while he spent hours going through rehab. A true testament to trusting the process he came back even stronger leading to an exception running season this past summer opening new doors of opportunity for him.

All the best Hamish. We look forward to following your running journey. Welcome to the Adastra whanau! ☺️ @tectnz ... See MoreSee Less

The Adastra Foundation

2 weeks ago

Meet @namokmia an up and coming netball player from Tauranga.

After first being introduced to netball by her aunty, whom she always watched and was someone she looked up to, Mia now has ambitions of becoming a Silver Fern. She has already been recognised in tournament teams and selected for trials for Aotearoa Māori Netball Orange Healthy Lifestyles (AMNOHL).

When faced with the challenge of injury Mia was able to recognise it for what it was (a set back) and didn’t let it stop her doing what she loved. She focused on working twice as hard to get to where she was prior. This links to advice Mia said she would give her younger self “Don’t worry about what could happen, or what is happening. Just trust the process and continue on”.

Although her aunty is her netball role model, Mia’s mum is who she looks up to and has learnt so much from. “She inspires me to be the best version of myself and to love unconditionally”. Welcome to the Adastra whanau Mia 🙌🏼 @tectnz ... See MoreSee Less

The Adastra Foundation

3 weeks ago

Time to introduce @nataliethomasvball - an up and coming volleyball player from Cambridge 🏐

She is a well rounded athlete and if Natalie wasn’t playing volleyball she would have likely pursued lacrosse but would also love to get more involved in white water kayaking, plus she enjoys football, dance and the outdoors in her spare time.

Natalie hopes the connections she makes through the @adastrafoundation workshops will boost and inspire her volleyball journey and knows the support from Adastra will enable her to take up more opportunities presented to her. It’s no surprise one of her volleyball highlights is all of the people she has met along the way.

As a Waikato regional player Natalie still recognises the importance of having fun in sport saying, “I would tell my younger self to relax and have some fun! You do the sport because you enjoy it, not to get recognised.”
Welcome to the Adastra whanau Natalie ☺️ ... See MoreSee Less

The Adastra Foundation

1 month ago

Meet @bridget_hilll. The next of our Adastra recipients. Bridget is a talented young lacrosse player from Morrinsville 🥍

“I got into lacrosse through my older sister… I remember watching one of her games and thinking that it looked like a fun, fast paced, dynamic sport” says Bridget. But if she wasn’t doing lacrosse she would have gone down the women’s rugby path.

Bridget is looking for support from @adastrafoundation in her transition from a regional to an international athlete with big dreams of competing at a Women’s World Cup. To date she has been selected for women’s national tournament teams and gone to the 2024 U20 Women’s Lacrosse World Champs so is well on her way to achieving her goals 🏆

Like many high level athletes she has faced injuries but found that showing up everyday and holding herself accountable helped to overcome her adversity.

Bridget looks up to her parents the most and understands and appreciates the time and effort they are giving to help her pursues her dreams as an athlete. Their strength and support is her everyday inspiration. Welcome to the whanau Bridget! ☺️ ... See MoreSee Less

The Adastra Foundation

1 month ago

Kia ora whanau, meet Anna! She is a talented songwriter and vocalist from Cambridge. Anna has been singing since she could talk but over time songwriting became an art form and a way for her to expand her creativity and tell her stories through music 🎵

“I am hoping through Adastra’s personal development I can enhance my qualities and skills to become more confident in myself and as an artist.” Says Anna when she was asked how @adastrafoundation could help her.

Anna has already achieved some incredible performing accolades including releasing her first single ‘Criminal’ (make sure you check it out on Spotify) and playing for a crowd of 3000+ people 👏🏼

She is no stranger to resilience recovering from a spinal fusion surgery in 2022. This resulting in dance and gymnastics - huge passions, no longer being part of her future. It is at this time that Anna turned to songwriting as a way to help her process change. “What is right for you, will come for you” are words Anna would tell her younger self and something she has learnt over time.

In her spare time Anna loves an adrenaline rush, has plans to travel the world and do her part to make a different. So great to have you as part of the Adastra whanau Anna! ☺️ ... See MoreSee Less

The Adastra Foundation

1 month ago

Meet Lulu from Tauranga! A 16-year old gymnast and student at the Crimson Global Academy (an online international school). She started gymnastics back in kindy gym when she was 3 and never looked back. 🤸

Competing since Lulu was 7 she says “Gymnastics has a lot of depth and detail in everything we do - more than people may realise. It’s a very technical sport.”

She loves competing and already has amazing highlights including winning nationals and representing New Zealand over in Texas.

We all know sport isn’t without its setbacks and injuries though, a fracture in her tibia meant Lulu’s focus temporarily shifted from competition prep to rehab - testing her patience and resilience.

With big aspirations of competing in NCAA gymnastics in America she looks up to her parents because “they are thoughtful and smart - I strive to be like them.”

All the best Lulu! We are so excited to watch your future evolve. Welcome to the Adastra whanau 😃 ... See MoreSee Less