The recipients of the BayTrust sporting scholarships are named with $22,500 being distributed to individuals throughout the Bay of Plenty.

The scholarships are funded by BayTrust and Sport Bay of Plenty's CoachForce programme and aim to help retain top-class coaching expertise and sporting talent in the region.

Any sportsperson aged 16-23 years residing in the Bay of Plenty is able to apply for the scholarships.

Sport Bay of Plenty marketing and sponsorship manager Melanie Short says they received a high number of quality applications this year.

She says these highlighted the exceptional sporting and coaching talent that exists within the Bay of Plenty.

'It gives an overwhelming sense of appreciation for the hard work and dedication that these athletes and coaches give to their sport and communities.”

The scholarships are part of a greater scheme of annual funding from BayTrust worth about $400,000.

BayTrust Athlete Scholarship Recipients

Callum Gibb – Te Puna – Canoe Slalom

Business student Callum Gibb is well on the way to making a name for himself, becoming the 2011 Oceania under-18 champion in canoe slalom.

This follows on from an impressive start to his chosen sport attaining the national and Oceania under-18 championships in 2010 along with numerous other achievements.

He is currently ranked 94th in the world out of 404 athletes, a mighty feat for someone of such a young age.

His goals for the future include being part of the New Zealand Canoe Slalom senior team and his success to date certainly has him on track to do so.

Carl Whitehead – Te Puke – Canoe Slalom

Carl has had a great amount of success in canoe slalom including winning both the New Zealand secondary schools under-18 and the Bay of Plenty Championships, gaining first junior and second senior in the Teva Series slalom and competing in the European Teen Cup Series where he placed fourth overall.

He now aims to make it to the under-23 USA World Champs.

Daniel Kayes – Papamoa – Surf Life Saving/Water Polo/Rugby

Daniel Kayes has a list of achievements that defies belief for someone of such a young age.

Not only does he compete in surf life saving and waterpolo, he is in the first 15 for rugby also.

In surf life saving he has a stunning list of achievements including; first in five events including iron man at the New Zealand Surf Life Saving Championships and first overall at the Bay of Plenty under-16 Surf Life Saving Championships.

He has had great success in waterpolo too, playing for the Szeged (Hungary) men's team as a guest player where they won the tournament.

Daniel's goals for the future include winning four gold medals at the New Zealand Surf Life Saving Championships and helping to take the New Zealand under-18 waterpolo team to win the world championship.

Derone Raukawa – Matua – Basketball

As Otumoetai College's basketball MVP, Derone is well on his way to being a Junior Tall Black.

After leading Otumoetai College to their first ever nationals victory he has since been named for Basketball New Zealand under-19 three on three squad and New Zealand Breakers under-20 team; all while playing for Tauranga City Basketball Senior Boys' Local League and picking up a second MVP title.

Derone hopes to make it into the Junior Tall Blacks squad next year as starting point guard.

Joseph Millar – Papamoa – Athletics

New Zealand fastest ranked in Men's under-19 100m sprint and 200m sprint; Joseph Miller has goals of breaking the New Zealand Men's under-19 record in 100m of 10.35s and he's not far off with a time of 10.64s.

Joseph gained the 2011 CNS Clinic Sportsperson of the Season with an impressive first place victory in Western Bay of Plenty Track and Field 100m and 200m events.

In 2010 he also placed first at the Secondary School Nationals in the 100m and 200m events.

He hopes to keep his title in the Men's under-19 100m and 200m at the National Championships again in 2012.

Julian Oakley – Tauranga – Athletics

Athletics up and comer Julian Oakley has been gaining a first-class list of achievements including a first place win in the New Zealand Road Running Championships, third in the New Zealand Cross County senior boys division; and at the NZ Track and Field Championships he gained a second place in the 800m alongside first in the 1500m.

All this appears to be only the beginning for Julian as he aims to qualify for the World Junior Athletics Championships in Barcelona 2012.

Kodi Harman – Papamoa – Athletics/Surf Life Saving

Kodi has a very busy schedule fitting in his commitments with Surf Life Saving and Athletics.

His hard work is now paying off, having won gold in the 100 and 200m events at the New Zealand National Athletics Championships and the Australian National Surf Life Saving Championships under-17 beach flags.

These are among a few of his achievements and put him well on his way to his quite substantial goals of making the New Zealand Commonwealth Youth Team – 100m and 200m finals, the SLS high performance team – top three and to be selected for 2014 Commonwealth Games and make the finals.

Mathew Lack – Opotiki – Wheelchair Racing

Mathew has an impressive résumé of National and International events including seven under 19 and two senior Paralympic Games records.

In addition, he also holds two IWASF (International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation) records.

Having competed in wheelchair racing since the age of 12, Mathew has already achieved a great deal; holding the title of Waiariki Institute of Technology BOP Sports Supreme Award winner in 2010.

Morgan Seymour – Whakatane – Volleyball

Having captained the Trident High School Indoor Volleyball team to a first place victory at the New Zealand Secondary School Championships, Morgan has a varied list of both Indoor and Outdoor Volleyball achievements.

His successes include competing for the New Zealand under-19 Boys Beach Volleyball Team in the World Youth Champs in both 2010 and 2011.

With Volleyball season underway, Morgan hopes to make it to the under-21 Junior World champs for beach volleyball and the North Island under-19 USA Tour for Indoor Volleyball in early 2012.

Natalie Peat – Te Puke – Surf Life Saving

Competing for the under-23 New Zealand Development team, racing against six counties are a huge achievement for someone only 16 years of age.

In addition, Natalie holds the 21 clubs trophy for most outstanding female from the 2011 Nationals.

With an impressive list of goals for the future – including The German Cup and the 2012 Rescue World Championships Team for Surf Life Saving Natalie's targets are to perform at high distinction in all events.

BayTrust Coach Scholarships Recipients

Pam Walters – Bethlehem – Gymnastics

Pam Walters took GymSport, a local gymnastics competition of 200 primary school students, and developed it into a nationwide programme of 1500 primary and intermediate school students.

Alongside this huge event Pam also runs ARGOS Gymnastics Club Competition – one of the largest gymnastic competitions in New Zealand.

She is also AIMS games gymnastics code coordinator and Bay of Plenty gymnastics coach at nationals.

All this in addition to organising and instigating Excel gymnastics training camp; a nationally run and hosted annual event in Tauranga.

Aaron Osborne – Rotorua – Canoe Slalom

New Zealand has been having a great amount of success in the Canoe Slalom lately; this is due in no small part to coaches like Aaron Osborne.

A competitor himself, he also is the coach for the New Zealand development team and the Tauranga Boys College Slalom team.

Furthermore, he has been the coach for Ella Nicolas who is the local Tauranga and Cook Island representative who has qualified for the 2012 Olympics.

Aaron's goals are to see a lot more results like this and foster more entry level canoe slalom athletes to an elite level.

Bay of Plenty Basketball (23 Coaches) – Tauranga – Basketball

23 Basketball coaches will receive scholarships to attend the Basketball NZ level one coaching course.

They have all had experience to date coaching club and school basketball teams for ages 15-19.

They hope to inspire other coaches to improve and better themselves and in doing so help to better their athletes.

Kurt Wilson – Papamoa – Surf Life Saving

Papamoa Surf Life Saving Club's Head Coach, Kurt Wilson has an impressive list of coaching qualifications including a Diploma in Sport; majoring in Elite Performance. Kurt is involved in training lifeguards and up skilling club members in order to prevent drowning, ensuring the beaches are kept safe for the community.

He has successfully coached the club to several first and second place victories including several national titles.

Kurt will be travelling to the Queensland State titles as well as the Australian Surf Life Saving Nationals in 2012 to develop new skills and in return enhance the level of Surf Life Saving in the Bay of Plenty.

Melanie Anne Bennett – Tauranga – Basketball

Director of Basketball at Tauranga Girls' College, Head Coach of Tauranga City Women's Open team and Lead Coach of New Zealand under 18 Women's Koru tour are just a few of Melanie's Basketball coaching achievements.

It is her huge dedication to Basketball which has earnt her a new position as understudy apprentice coach to the New Zealand Junior Tall Ferns.

It is from this Melanie hopes to deliver knowledge and skills back to the community. Personally she hopes to further enhance her coaching attributes and improve her knowledge of international Basketball.

Maine Mareko-Johnson – Ohauiti – Basketball

Maine Johnson is a young up and coming basketball coach who works with children of all ages from the Tauranga region.

Having moved to Tauranga in 2010 Maine has become involved with many of Tauranga City Basketballs junior programmes. In 2011 she coached the Under 13 boys team to the National tournament in Napier and this year she hopes to do the same with the under 15 boys.

She also spends many hours up-skilling at the Navigator Development Programme. In 2012 she will be travelling to Australia to coach New Zealand kids at the Basketball Pacific tournament.

Volleyball Bay of Plenty (4 Coaches) – Tauranga – Volleyball

Three college Beach Volleyball coaches and one former elite Beach Volleyball player have been selected by Volleyball Bay of Plenty to attend workshops led by two top international Beach Volleyball coaches to improve their level of coaching and pass it on to their schools.

All three coaches have coached their teams at nationals and have won gold. Their goal is to place Bay of Plenty teams at top of Nationals and develop new coaches for Beach Volleyball.

New Zealand Rugby League (6 Coaches) – Tauranga – Rugby League

Six rugby league coaches have been selected to attend a three day senior club course. All of the coaches have been coaching at least 6 years and have completed the NZRL Coaching Accreditation.

They are now ready to attend the senior club course as a pathway to advanced coaching.

This training will then allow them to coach at regional representative level and open a pathway to coach at national level.

Mary-Jane Araroa – Whakatane – Netball

Coach of the Bay of Plenty Gold netball team and up and coming players, Mary-Jane aims to attend Netball New Zealand coaching, umpiring and facilitator training in Dunedin as well as gain guidance from elite Netball coaches.

She hopes to then pass on an elite level of coaching to improve netball skills in Bay of Plenty.

Dylan Henton – Ohope – Badminton

A Bay of Plenty and Northern Region Badminton representative himself, Dylan is no stranger to the sport.

He started out coaching at local Whakatane clubs and currently coaches at the Western Bay Performance Centre working with the best players in Western Bay of Plenty including under 15 and under 13 Bay of Plenty representative squads.

As well as coaching, Dylan has also assisted in the pilot of Racqueteers, a fundamental skills pilot for school children and aims to become qualified in the programme.

He will then take it into schools and clubs to spread Badminton and help develop young people's basic skills in hope they will improve in all sporting areas.