Our Team

Founder and Board Member
mgoodwin@tamaisports.co.nz
+64 27 524 9212

Max founded Tamai Sports with Stephen Dods in 2018 and ran the program for its first two years. Max is passionate about sports and the ideal that every child should have the opportunity for extra curricular education. He remains actively engaged with the program as an executive director and coach, and is determined to use his experience to expand the program to make sure that this ideal becomes a reality.

When not helping with Tamai, Max is in his final year of studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Canterbury.

Max Goodwin

Program Manager
kyla@tamaisports.co.nz
+64 22 594 1913

Kyla, a proud Māori from Ōtautahi, has been immersed in sports since childhood, representing herself at provincial and national levels. Kyla is involved in touch, rugby, rugby league and basketball. Sports play a significant role in Kyla’s life, as she cherishes the opportunity to cultivate relationships with new people through her involvement. She believes all tamariki deserve equal opportunity to be involved in sports. Kyla is currently pursuing a Bachelor if Social Work with Honors at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha with her aim being to assist troubled individuals, particularly within the Māori community. Her primary focus lies in youth work, where she aims to provide support and guidance to those from underprivileged backgrounds, empowering them to succeed.

Kyla finds joy in blending her two passions of sports and assisting young tamariki to excel, helping them surpass goals they never imagined possible.

Kyla Lynch-Brown

Matt de Vries

Program Director
matt@tamaisports.co.nz
+64 21 191 1197

Born and raised in Aotearoa New Zealand, predominantly in Ōtautahi Christchurch, Matt has always led an active life, deeply involved in sports and physical activities. Sports have profoundly influenced his life, providing a sense of belonging, fostering close friendships, and imparting valuable life lessons.

Through his experiences, studies, volunteer work, and professional roles, Matt has come to understand the positive impact sports can have on individuals and communities. He is passionate about ensuring that all tamariki (children) have the opportunity to participate in safe, inclusive, and engaging sports environments.

In January 2025, Matt joined Tamai Sports, following his role as a Community Connector at Sport Canterbury. He holds a Bachelor of Applied Science, majoring in Physical Education and minoring in Sports Management.

Founder and Executive Director
sdods@christscollege.com
+64 27 212 5505

From 1987–1991 Stephen Dods was a Canterbury rugby representative. He relocated to Ireland in 1992, playing for Leinster, coaching professionally and working as Director of Sport for the Royal College of Surgeons.

Stephen returned to Christchurch in 2000, and established a high performance sports consultancy. From 2001-2014 Stephen was the Director of Christchurch Boys’ High School Rugby/Cricket, Creating a culture that produced a large number of Black Caps and All Blacks during his tenure.

He coached the Teikyo Daigaku (university) team in Tokyo, taking them to number one in Japan, as well as the Canon Eagles, a Japanese Top League team. He joined College as Assistant to the Director of Sport and Master in Charge of rugby in 2015.

Stephen Dods

Program Manager
jono@tamaisports.co.nz
+64 27 335 8949

Jono was born and raised in Christchurch, playing Rugby for Linwood and Cricket for East Shirley during his junior years. He attended Shirley Boys’ High School and then completed a Bachelor of Sports Coaching at Canterbury University, as well as Certificates in Personal Training and Nutrition. He has been heavily involved in sport since, playing, and more recently, coaching Rugby. He has a passion for sport and its ability to connect and build long-lasting relationships with people, as well as teaching and developing values that can set you up for all aspects of life.

Accompanied by his passion for helping people, he is driven to see sport be accessible, inclusive and safe for all people in all forms of life.

Jono began working at Tamai midway through 2024, after moving home from Tauranga in a previous role working with Young Adults.

Jono Kitto

Founders