Flag football is an incredible sport that offers all the excitement of traditional American football in a more streamlined format. It is non-contact, fast-paced, fun, inclusive, and serves as a great introduction to the game.

My journey with American football began in the mid-1980s when I played as a running back for the Merseyside Nighthawks. In 1992, I was fortunate to win the National Championship against the Crawley Raiders, scoring the winning touchdown and adding the extra point myself.

Those are truly awesome memories!

Now, I’m proud to coach and give back to the sport I love.

As a father of three and the husband of an amazing wife, I am deeply passionate about my role as an assistant coach. 

I have decades of experience in American football, including playing for the Great Britain Lions during our European Championship victory and representing the North of England All-Star team multiple times. 

I attended trials for the London Monarchs, England's only professional American football team, and I have recently qualified as a sports coach for U.S. high school football.

My goal is to share my knowledge and love for the game with aspiring athletes, while fostering dedication, teamwork, and excellence.

Coach Rodney successfully stepped up from his parent duties to coach our U12 team last season.

With his rugby coaching experience, he easily transitioned to coaching Flag Football. We look forward to seeing his continued development of last season's U12s as they advance to become our U14s this season.

Coach Regin joined our coaching team at the start of the 2025/2026 season. He assists our Head Coach and Coach Rodney in developing our youngest players. With a background in rugby coaching, he has successfully transferred his skills to Flag Football.

I am a student at Tauranga Boys' College.

I am passionate about Sports Development, in particular Psychological Development within competitive fields.

My journey with American Football started in 2022.  My desire to work with and pass on my knowledge to other athletes led to me obtaining my USA Football Coaching license in 2025.

In 2026, I represented New Zealand in LA as part of the U15 National Flag Football Team.

My own personal injuries and rehabilitation have given me a great understanding of the importance of training and recovery.

I look forward to helping develop Pacific Coast Sharks while continuing to grow personally as a coach and a player.

James has played flag football for the Pacific Coast Sharks for three seasons, often as Quarterback. He loves the sport and is excited to teach the skills he has learned from playing, watching, and completing his USA Football coaching course. He looks forward to seeing everyone on the field!