The Yachting New Zealand Emerging Coach of the Year recognises coaches making a genuine impact at club level, away from the high-performance pathway. Since its introduction in 2023, it has celebrated those quietly building the sport from the ground up. The 2025 recipient is Sophia Morgan, whose work at the Royal Akarana Yacht Club has earned her the honour.
Morgan brings a rare depth of experience to her coaching role. A dual Olympian, she competed for Fiji in the ILCA 6 class at both Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, and has channelled that high-performance background into developing the next generation of sailors at RAYC. As the club's Academy Co-ordinator, her remit is broad: she oversees everything from introductory Sail & Play sessions through to structured youth performance groups, while also guiding the wider coaching team, shaping training pathways, and maintaining an environment where young sailors feel both safe and motivated.
The results of her work are already visible across the club. Youth fleet numbers have grown during her tenure, and her capacity to translate Olympic-level insight into coaching that is clear and age-appropriate has drawn consistent praise from parents and athletes alike. Her communication style, supportive manner, and ability to draw confidence out of developing sailors are qualities that come up repeatedly among those she works with.
The values the award seeks to celebrate are precisely the ones Morgan embodies: a commitment to community, a genuine passion for developing young people in the sport, and a belief that sailing can be a lifelong pursuit. Her presence at the head of the academy also provides meaningful role-modelling, particularly for young women taking their first steps in sailing.
Morgan follows Wade Tresadern, who received the award in 2024, and Matthew Rist, who was the inaugural recipient in 2023. Her place on that short list reflects both the professional skill she brings to her role and her dedication to making participation, learning, and enjoyment central to grassroots sailing at RAYC.
