Grant Wills

Grant was in the School Certificate days where he gained six SC’s, UE accredited and a B Bursary. From school Grant attended Massey University and graduated with a Bachelor of Agricultural Science in 1981. From University Grant worked for MAF as an Engineering Advisor from 1982 to 1987. He then married Karo and travelled through Asia, Middle East and Europe, working in England, before returning home. He completed a dairy farm conversion with his parents in 1988 with 150 cows. That has now grown to 650. His travels now centres around his family and work commitments which has taken him to Australia, Malaysia, USA, Fiji.

At school Grant was an avid sportsman and took part in as many sports that he could fit into his busy schedule – basketball, tennis, rugby, swimming, athletics and cross country to name the majors. As well he had a musical talent and played in the school band.
He has kept up his participation and is still to the fore in sports. Grant coached the college basketball team for five years while still playing competitively at representative level for Matamata and Morrinsville over the last 34 years (and is still playing). He has completed five marathons and gained a B grading for squash.
Notably has been his success in tennis. Grant has won the Piako singles on four occasions, the Walton club singles 18 times, has been an integral member of the winning Waikato Premier Interclub team five times, has won three National Masters Singles titles and two National Masters Doubles titles. As a Veteran he has been runner-up in National doubles and third in National Vets singles. As well, Grant is a qualified coach and referee. Walton Tennis Club have been fortunate to have Grant as their club coach for ten years and he still finds time to continue playing.
Now that his sports-mad kids have left home he has taken up golf and is making his mark. His son Zeb works in Hamilton, playing golf and tennis but most of all likes fishing. Beau is in his second year of a tennis scholarship to North Carolina, USA and daughter Kelsie is in her freshman year of a volleyball scholarship in New York, USA. Both have attained Rookie honours during their first year. (Beau and Kelsie will both be profiled later as outstanding sportspeople).
Grant married a keen sportswoman, Karo, who is or has been active in netball, basketball, squash, tennis, running and now golf. She has also been involved with coaching during the kids school years.

Alison, Grant’s sister played representative netball for Matamata and Auckland and has coached overseas – read more about Alison later!

The team photo is the winning Waikato premier interclub team. The team that played the finals was made up of Mark Hedley, Beau Wills, Travis Scott and myself. All attended Matamata College.