Our Valuable Volunteer for August is… Mark Baple!

Known to most footballers as “Baps”, Mark puts in countless hours making sure footballers young and old get to experience a level of professionalism and expertise that previously, players would have to travel outside of the region to receive. You’ll find him most evenings at Childers Road Reserve. Whether it is with Gisborne Thistle AFC, the expert Goalkeeper clinics he runs for any aspiring glove-smith or the U17 Boys FTC team. 

Mark has helped many young Goalkeepers develop their skills to a high level. He has former apprentices playing at levels of football domestically and internationally. Including: The Central League and Capital Premier competitions in Wellington, the Central Federation League and the prestigious Ole Academy. 

His love for football doesn’t stop at the edge of the pitch. He often makes sure young Footballers have a ride to trainings and has even provided boots and gloves when needed.

He has been an omnipresent, driving force behind the scenes of Gisborne Thistle’s ambition to provide a pathway into the higher levels of NZ Football for Gisborne Footballers. He takes care of funding applications, invites expert Nutritionists and Sports Psychologists to talk with the players and has recently found himself interviewing players and leading the Match Day announcements as an integral part of building Gisborne Thistle’s fan and community engagement.  If this wasn’t enough, he also prepares the Match Day programme and has even become a fully qualified bus driver to transport the first team while on away duty!

On behalf of Football Tairawhiti, thank you Mark!

Article added: Monday 30 August 2021