It is with great sadness that Marist Water Polo Club mourns the passing of our friend, mentor and founding member, Christopher Hayward (CH).

To generations of players, parents, coaches, officials and volunteers, CH was a mentor, a man of faith, and the heart of our Marist Water Polo family.

When Marist Water Polo Club was founded in 1988, CH was one of the driving forces behind its creation. Together with a group of dedicated local families, he helped lay the foundations for what is today one of New Zealand’s most respected and successful water polo clubs. For decades, CH dedicated his life to ensuring young people had the opportunity to experience water polo and that Marist would always be a club where everyone felt they belonged.

Marist was more than a club to CH—it was his life’s work. As Chairman until 2012, and later as a valued Life Member and committee member, he dedicated countless hours to ensuring Marist remained a place where young people could learn, compete, grow and belong. Even when illness prevented him from attending committee meetings in recent months, his commitment to Marist never wavered.

CH believed that every young person deserved the opportunity to play. Through initiatives such as the Sacred Heart College Water Polo Academy and the Central and Eastern Year 7 & 8 Water Polo League, he created pathways that introduced generations of young players to the sport and into club water polo.

While Marist was always his home, CH’s vision reached far beyond the club. He played a significant role in growing water polo across Auckland and New Zealand, helping develop competitions and opportunities for players at every level. He was also instrumental in building the Pan Pacific Youth Water Polo Festival into the internationally recognised tournament it became.

Those who knew CH best will remember not only what he achieved, but how he achieved it. He quietly supported players and families whenever they needed help, never looking for recognition or reward. He simply believed in people and in the power of sport to change lives.

CH was a man of faith whose life was guided by service, humility, kindness and compassion. He led by quiet example, often putting others before himself and believing that Marist should be more than a place to play sport.

Today, Marist remains the family that CH envisioned—a place where everyone belongs, lifelong friendships are formed, families come together, and every player is welcomed, valued and encouraged. That vision remains the heart of Marist Water Polo Club today. CH’s legacy is measured not only by the competitions he helped establish or the players he developed, but by the thousands of lives he touched and the family culture he created.

On behalf of everyone at Marist Water Polo Club, we extend our heartfelt condolences to CH’s family and loved ones. Thank you for sharing him with us for so many years.

Thank you, CH, for your friendship, your leadership, your vision and your unwavering commitment to others. You devoted your life to building something far greater than a successful water polo club. You built a family, and we are privileged to be part of it. That family will continue to honour your legacy for generations to come.

Rest in peace, CH. Thank you for everything you gave to Marist, to water polo, and to all of us. Your legacy will live on every time someone proudly calls Marist their club.