09/09/2026
A big congratulations to Tony on being named Paddle NSW Coach of the year!
For those wondering where he is when he is not in the practice, he can usually be found on the water at Burrill coaching the talented Makai juniors to sporting excellence in sprint kayaking.
A fantastic and well deserve recognition of his dedication to these young athletes.
Congratulations Tony!
The 2025/26 PNSW Coach of the Year is TONY IRELAND from MAKAI Paddlers.
Tony leads the MAKAI Juniors program, a small squad of seven young paddlers who have achieved outstanding results in the last twelve months. His athlete-centred coaching, technical skill, and commitment to developing juniors in a regional community have produced state, national, and international representation across sprint, ocean racing, and marathon disciplines. Tony’s program consistently nurtures confidence, resilience, and high performance in emerging athletes.
MAKAI Junior Achievements
• Two paddlers competed at the 2025 ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships
o 9th in U18 Women’s Single Ski
o 23rd in U18 Men’s Single Ski
o 5th in the Under 18 Mixed Double Ski
• Three juniors qualified for the World Championships, with one winning selection and two placing second at Australian trials.
• Two U18 athletes selected for the Junior/U23 Canoe Sprint World Championships in Canada.
• One U14 paddler qualified to race U16 at the Asia Pacific Sprint Championships in Rotorua.
• At the 2026 PA Canoe Sprint National Championships, MAKAI won 5 Gold, 3 Silver and 3 Bronze, including the U18 K1 200m National Championship and W18 K2 title.
• Strong performances at GP1, GP2, PNSW Sprint Series, State Championships, and U16 and U18 medals at the 2026 PA Canoe Marathon Championships.
• Three MAKAI juniors selected for the NSW State Team, with one athlete maintaining an NSWIS scholarship for a third consecutive season.
Tony’s success is defined not only by medals and team selections but by the culture he builds - discipline and belief in what young athletes from a regional club can achieve. He consistently develops confident, capable paddlers able to perform at the highest level while embodying sportsmanship and community spirit. Tony’s unwavering commitment to the MAKAI junior paddling program is deeply deserving of recognition as PaddleNSW's Coach of the Year.
PaddleNSW Sprint PaddleNSW - Marathon NSW Institute of Sport