About Us
Proteus Sports Group was founded in 2018 by Ollie Hawkins and Myles Gardner to help schools and clubs save time by supplying suitable coaching resources. The Proteus team has grown and become the trusted name for coaching in the Canterbury region.
We chose Proteus because, as the name suggests, we are all about transformation.
Proteus was a Greek god who could tell the future and change his form. From the story of Proteus, we get the adjective protean, meaning "versatile", "mutable", or "capable of assuming many forms". Protean has positive connotations of flexibility, versatility and adaptability.
We’ve adopted this symbol of transformation because our role in the community is to shape young players - impart new skills and help them become better and worthy team members.
At Proteus Sports Group, we work alongside a wide range of educational providers and community sports organisations to make sport inclusive, engaging, and accessible for all.
From early childhood through to youth sport and competitive teams, we deliver structured programs and coaching services that build fundamental movement skills, develop footballing talent, and foster long-term engagement with sport.
Meet the team
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Ollie Hawkins
Director of Proteus and Co-Founder
Current Director of Football and Head Coach of Halswell United AFC, Ollie has a wealth of experience coaching and managing football, with over seven years of full-time experience in the game.He has coached at all levels and now focuses on helping coaches develop skills within community sports and servicing Proteus Sports Groups Schools, including Christ’s College, where he is also the Head Coach of the First team.
Email: oliver@proteus.nz
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Patrick Rouse
Sport Operations Manager
Patrick has been with Proteus Sports Group since 2023, working his way through the organisation as a Football coach, Pre-School Coach, and Club Coach at Halswell United AFC.
Patrick is a passionate sportsperson who was a football player for many years, representing Canterbury in many Tournaments in his youth and overseeing experiences as an Academy player. He has an Oceania C license in football coaching and a New Zealand Junior Level 3 Coaching badge.
Patrick manages our coaches and organisation, providing quality control and support for Proteus’s day-to-day operations.
Email: patrick@proteus.nz
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Josh McTurk
Head Of Pre-Schools and Lead Coach
Josh has been with Proteus since 2024, first as a casual football coach while also playing First Team football and coaching the Academy at Halswell United AFC. He now leads our preschool programme for the part 2 years, incorporating his passion for football and his current Bachelor of Sports Coaching studies at the University of Canterbury.
Josh, too, has his Oceania C License in Football Coaching and the New Zealand Football Junior Level 3 Coaching badge. He is a top coach and now have worked in many levels of proteus coaching all levels and abilities
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Isaac Rockell
Lead Basketball & Business Development Manager
Isaac first joined Proteus Sports group in 2024 as an intern from the University of Canterbury while he was working towards his Bachelor of Sport Coaching. He successfully transitioned from gaining experience as an intern to becoming our Lead Basketball Coach for schools, where he now also helps inspire students to pursue industry experience with Proteus across our various coaching pathways.
Email: isaac@proteus.nz
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Sarah Wojtas
Accounts and Administration
Sarah joined the Proteus team in 2026 and plays a key role in managing accounts and supporting the day-to-day administrative operations behind the scenes. She has spent the past six years working in the mental health sector and is currently at university to complete her Graduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning.
Email: info@proteus.nz