Latest news with #MattWebb
BBC News
4 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Devon coach helps Marshall Islands football team
A footballer from Devon is helping to put a remote nation on the global football Webb, a centre-back for Sidmouth Town and marketing professional from Exeter, is behind the Marshall Islands' first-ever international soccer team. On Friday he flies out with the squad to the United States for their debut match - marking a historic moment for a country which, until recently, had never fielded a national football team."We're very busy at the moment, planning ahead to our first ever international match, which is taking place very scarily next week in America," said Webb. "There have been quite a few pinch-yourself moments." The Marshall Islands, a collection of islands in the Pacific between Hawaii and Australia, has never had an international soccer team. But in 2023, a federation was formed to meet growing demand from children eager to play. The initiative quickly gained momentum, powered by merchandise sales, donations, and the dedication of volunteers like Webb."I read about the story in The Athletic in August 2022," he told BBC Radio Devon."It was about the last nation on Earth without a soccer team. "I love football, I work in marketing, I love travel, it felt like the perfect fit. "I found the federation president on social media and said, 'I'll work for free. Just let me help.' And here we are, three years later."Alongside him is Lloyd Owers, from Oxfordshire, who is technical director of the Marshall Islands Soccer Federation, as well as coach Justin Walley from Leicestershire. Joining Webb is Marshall Islands international player Danny Razook, who has lived on the islands on and off since childhood. "This is one of the most unique places in the world," he said."There's almost zero crime, everyone rides bikes, and it's a great place to raise a family."Razook will play as a defender in the team's first match. "It's humbling, and it's going to be a great honour," he said. "I just want to do the Marshall Islands proud."Their first opponents will be the US Virgin Islands, followed by Turks and Caicos, both nations with decades of FIFA membership behind them. "It's a great opportunity," Webb said."We're still very much at the start of our journey. These teams are a few years ahead of us, at least. "People see countries like San Marino and assume they're at the bottom, but they have infrastructure, funding, and quality players. "We're expecting a real challenge." 'Surreal' Webb said he felt optimistic about the team. "We don't have too many expectations," he said."The main thing is getting a group together. I'm sure these guys are going to defy expectations."The ultimate goal is FIFA recognition, which would unlock funding and allow the Marshall Islands to participate in World Cup qualifiers. "As soon as you enter a confederation or FIFA, you receive funding that enables you to do these events frequently," Webb said."We've done a lot already with zero external funding, which we're very proud of."For Razook, the moment he steps onto the pitch wearing the Marshall Islands badge will be unforgettable. "It's surreal," he said. "I would have never, ever thought about that being in my future."
Scoop
12-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Transpower Proposes Further Investment In Power Supply For Hawke's Bay
Once the Commerce Commission approve the proposal, Transpower expects to start the work in October 2026 and finish by December 2027. Transpower plans to invest $47.0 million to rebuild its Redclyffe substation to better protect Hawke's Bay's electricity supply against flooding and earthquakes. The national electricity transmission grid owner submitted a proposal to the Commerce Commission today for approval to rebuild the main 220kV switchyard on the existing site, raising essential equipment out of the reach of potential flood waters. Transpower's Executive General Manager Grid Development Matt Webb said this is another aspect of the work to rebuild the substation after it was flooded during Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023. 'After Cyclone Gabrielle, we made a commitment to the people of Hawke's Bay to make their region's power supply more resilient to extreme weather and seismic events,' he said. 'Residents can be confident that our interim upgrades have protected their power supply, and the work we're proposing now will make Redclyffe substation flood resilient to a 1-in-450-year flooding event and much more resilient to earthquakes. 'For the people of Napier, Hastings and surrounding areas, that would mean the power is more likely to stay on during catastrophic weather events like Cyclone Gabrielle.' Mr Webb said Transpower has already completed significant work at Redclyffe substation to improve security of supply in the region since Cyclone Gabrielle. Interim upgrades to the 110 kV switchyard were made in 2023 to make the equipment there more resilient to flooding, and an interim 220 kV control room has also been installed above the flood level. A new 220 kV/110 kV interconnecting transformer is currently being installed that will significantly boost reliability of electricity supply in the region. Under New Zealand's electricity transmission regulatory framework, the Commerce Commission reviews and approves Transpower's work plans to ensure investment is cost-effective and in the long-term interests of New Zealanders. 'We've engaged extensively with local communities on our plans for the region alongside our local lines company partner Unison Networks,' Mr Webb said. 'We believe this is the most cost-effective approach that also takes into account growing demand for electricity in the region. We have strong support from key stakeholders for our proposal and we look forward to the Commerce Commission rigorously testing our plans and costings.' Once the Commerce Commission approve the proposal, Transpower expects to start the work in October 2026 and finish by December 2027. The work can be completed without any impact to local electricity supply, Mr Webb said.
RNZ News
12-06-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Transpower plan rebuild for Hawke's Bay substation damaged by Cyclone Gabrielle
[wh] Transpower plan rebuild for cyclone-damaged Hawke's Bay substation Transpower insists residents' power supply will not be interrupted during construction. Photo: Supplied / Transpower The national grid operator plans a $47 million rebuild for a cyclone-damaged substation in Hawke's Bay. Transpower has submitted a proposal to the Commerce Commission to rebuild the Redclyffe substation near Napier, which was flooded during Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023. The work would involve a rebuild of the main 220-kilovolt switchyard on the existing site and raising essential equipment to avoid potential future flooding. "After Cyclone Gabrielle, we made a commitment to the people of Hawke's Bay to make their region's power supply more resilient to extreme weather and seismic events," Transpower grid development executive general manager Matt Webb said. "Residents can be confident that our interim upgrades have protected their power supply, and the work we're proposing now will make Redclyffe substation flood resilient to a 1-in-450-year flooding event and much more resilient to earthquakes." New Zealand's electricity regulations require the Commerce Commission to approve Transpower's work plans. Transpower said, after regulatory approval, work would likely start in October next year and finish by December 2027. Webb said the work would not affect local electricity supply. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
12-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Transpower Proposes Further Investment In Power Supply For Hawke's Bay
Transpower plans to invest $47.0 million to rebuild its Redclyffe substation to better protect Hawke's Bay's electricity supply against flooding and earthquakes. The national electricity transmission grid owner submitted a proposal to the Commerce Commission today for approval to rebuild the main 220kV switchyard on the existing site, raising essential equipment out of the reach of potential flood waters. Transpower's Executive General Manager Grid Development Matt Webb said this is another aspect of the work to rebuild the substation after it was flooded during Cyclone Gabrielle in February 2023. 'After Cyclone Gabrielle, we made a commitment to the people of Hawke's Bay to make their region's power supply more resilient to extreme weather and seismic events,' he said. 'Residents can be confident that our interim upgrades have protected their power supply, and the work we're proposing now will make Redclyffe substation flood resilient to a 1-in-450-year flooding event and much more resilient to earthquakes. 'For the people of Napier, Hastings and surrounding areas, that would mean the power is more likely to stay on during catastrophic weather events like Cyclone Gabrielle.' Mr Webb said Transpower has already completed significant work at Redclyffe substation to improve security of supply in the region since Cyclone Gabrielle. Interim upgrades to the 110 kV switchyard were made in 2023 to make the equipment there more resilient to flooding, and an interim 220 kV control room has also been installed above the flood level. A new 220 kV/110 kV interconnecting transformer is currently being installed that will significantly boost reliability of electricity supply in the region. Under New Zealand's electricity transmission regulatory framework, the Commerce Commission reviews and approves Transpower's work plans to ensure investment is cost-effective and in the long-term interests of New Zealanders. 'We've engaged extensively with local communities on our plans for the region alongside our local lines company partner Unison Networks,' Mr Webb said. 'We believe this is the most cost-effective approach that also takes into account growing demand for electricity in the region. We have strong support from key stakeholders for our proposal and we look forward to the Commerce Commission rigorously testing our plans and costings.' Once the Commerce Commission approve the proposal, Transpower expects to start the work in October 2026 and finish by December 2027. The work can be completed without any impact to local electricity supply, Mr Webb said.
CNN
07-05-2025
- Sport
- CNN
This nation is threatened by rising sea levels. It is raising awareness as it sets up its first soccer team
CNN — Between rising sea levels from the climate crisis, a history of nuclear testing causing radioactive pollution and population displacement, the Marshall Islands face numerous threats. Now, the country – made up of 29 atolls and five main islands in the North Pacific – is shining a light on the struggles it faces by turning to an unlikely source: Soccer. The Marshall Islands are seeking to become the last of the 193 United Nations member states to have a recognized international 11-a-side soccer team, with the aim of becoming a member of FIFA – world soccer's governing body – by 2030. To help the cause, the nation's soccer governing body has organized a four-team tournament taking place this summer in Springdale, Arkansas, home to the largest Marshallese community outside of the islands. But perhaps more important than the sporting benefits of the endeavor is the opportunity to raise awareness of the environmental battle the country faces as a result of climate change. To that end, the three British men behind the initiative – Matt Webb, Lloyd Owers and Justin Walley – have also created a new team kit. Designed with the colors of the Marshall Islands flag and emblazoned with images of the islands' flora and fauna, the number 1.5 takes pride of place in the center of the 'No-Home' shirt, a reference to the Paris climate agreement, in which countries agreed to make efforts to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. A quote from Marshallese poet Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner is also etched onto the shirt: 'We deserve to thrive.' The message and the unique design were enough to make it a popular release. But it got even more attention when, with each photo post on social media of the new kit, parts of the shirt had disappeared; first a bit of a sleeve, next some from the midriff and then from the collar. The gradual loss of parts of the kit was used as a stark reminder of the creeping danger that rising sea levels present to the Marshall Islands. According to analysis by NASA, sea levels in the Marshall Islands have risen by 10 centimeters (almost 3.94 inches) over the last 30 years and could rise by 19 centimeters (roughly 7.48 inches) over the next 30 years, leading to an increase in flooding with 'worsening severity.' If no measures are taken, the islands are likely to face more than 100 days of flooding yearly by the end of the century. Webb, who works as the head of commercial for the Marshall Islands Soccer Federation, explains that while developing the soccer side was the main priority when they began their work, they are in the 'fortunate position' to be able to bring attention to an issue that perhaps would fall by the wayside. 'There is an obligation to talk about aspects such as climate change, nuclear legacy. We have this kind of duty of care to mention it at least. And we decided to use the shirt as a way to it,' Webb told CNN Sports. 'It's a celebration of a rich culture of the Marshall Islands and, potentially, what could be lost if action isn't taken. We appreciate that climate change can be polarizing to some people and it's maybe not something they want to focus on in sport. But for us, it would be amiss if we didn't kind of reference it at all. And using sport as well, we've got such a huge platform where other outlets might not necessarily be able to touch upon that.' The Marshall Islands are home to around 39,000 people and are on the opposite side of the world to the United Kingdom, where Webb and Owers live. But they stumbled across the country's sporting plight in an article in The Athletic in 2021. The Marshall Islands Soccer Federation was founded in 2020 by President Shem Livai because his son was an avid soccer fan, but there was no structure for kids to play. Webb immediately wanted to be involved. Webb and Owers both have experience in the Beautiful Game prior to this endeavor. Webb's day job is in marketing but he has previously been involved in soccer administration and founding clubs, while Owers has previously worked as a coach and helped in forming coaching programs for teams in the UK and abroad. Webb recalls finding Livai on social media and eventually his email before 'peppering' him with messages offering his services as a volunteer until Livai, as the Brit recounts, 'relented.' Owers was introduced by a mutual connection after which he was appointed technical director and the pair set about revamping the federation. Webb admits that they faced some skepticism from locals in the early months – ''What are you doing? You're saying you're Marshall Islands Soccer Federation, but you're doing this from the UK,'' he remembers being asked – but have since developed relationships and connections to establish their credibility as keen volunteers. While soccer is known as the global game, that is not the case on the Marshall Islands. Given its longstanding connections to the US – the republic is home to the US Army Garrison Kwajalein, which helps in ballistic missile testing and tracking – basketball and volleyball are the most popular sports there. While many of the youngsters on the island may be fans of soccer, Webb explains, the lack of accessibility to adequate facilities and coaching means few play it regularly. Webb and Owers set about using futsal – a scaled-down version of regular soccer played with five players on each team and on smaller pitches – to increase playing time, using the abundance of basketball courts as venues. But, due to the geographic make-up of the islands, space is at a premium when it comes to full-size 11-a-side pitches, which FIFA recommends have the dimensions of 105 meters (almost 344.5 feet) x 68 meters (almost 223.1 feet). 'It's a very low-lying island nation, which is built on top of essentially a coral reef. And when you're there, you can kind of really feel how close you are and how much your islands are related to the oceans,' Webb explains. 'You've got oceans on one side, and it's basically a circular lagoon on the inside as well. So there's points on your island where it's just one road separating the ocean to the lagoon. You feel really exposed at times.' The country did build a stadium for the Micronesian Games last summer, which gives the islands a useable pitch, but it still has no goals even now. They have focused on acquiring equipment, creating opportunities to play and providing coaches for the Marshallese people to get a taste of what the Beautiful Game can bring. While they are hoping that this next generation of soccer-mad youngsters will provide the bedrock for a blossoming Marshall Islands national team, their current crop of players is made up of young adults and expatriates from surrounding islands, such as Solomon Islands, Fiji and Kiribati. With the help of on-island coaches, the British volunteers were able to build a soccer system across the islands. They have seen buy-in across the generations as their reputations have grown. On top of the sporting benefits have been the human impact, which Webb describes as arguably the more 'rewarding' part of what they're doing. On Owers' most recent trip to the Marshall Islands, he led a group from the island of Majuro – the country's capital – to the island of Kwajalein. He was told by one of his players: 'This is the best weekend of my life.' Webb explains: 'We can take it for granted, the ability to move freely between places, but for some of these lads, it's the first time off island or traveling by plane and seeing new things and meeting new people. So there's that kind of personal impact you're having on people's lives.' Both Webb and Owers are unequivocal in their aim of having the Marshall Islands being involved in the qualification process for a FIFA World Cup. But to do that, there are certain criteria they must meet to be able to join a regional confederation. The first step on that journey is the four-team tournament in August in Arkansas, their first 11-a-side matches against other international teams. The 'Outrigger Cup' will see the Marshall Islands face the US Virgin Islands, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and Guam, all three of which are FIFA member nations. They have started a fundraiser for the tournament, which they see as an opportunity to bring Marshallese people together. 'We want to be in a position to allow every Marshallese person the opportunity to be a part of our project regardless of where they are in the world,' Owers said. 'Uniting everyone in a different place is another opportunity for us to do that. 'I think, as a byproduct of it, hopefully this then propels the project into something where we're in front of those confederations that we've applied for. They've got more awareness of what we're doing, and seeing the journey and the development of where we were, where we've gone, and then where we want to be, and hopefully using this as a bit of a platform to push on from that.' Webb reveals that they also have plans in future editions of the kit to address the nuclear legacy of the Marshall Islands; the US government conducted 67 nuclear tests there between 1946 and 1958 which 'left communities displaced and contributed to radioactive land and sea pollution,' per the UN. He talks about how much the islanders value community, which too is under threat, as more families emigrate to the US to avoid the impacts of climate change. But Webb believes soccer can help bring the Marshallese together. 'We want to unite people through a medium of sport, and hopefully raise awareness to those issues that people face on daily basis. If we can have any small part in helping that, then we will.'
