Susan Thomas (Jeffries)

The grit! The determination! The hours of practice! Finally it’s game day for the first Deaf Netball New Zealand versus Australia in Manawatu. Watch highlights of the gameplay followed by expert post-match analysis and limbo shenanigans at MDS. Good times.

Susan Thomas takes the reins at the studio this week on ‘News Review’. The team recaps footage from the World Games of the Deaf which wrapped up on the Tuesday before. Watch records being broken, and some footage of our Kiwi athletes in action!

Footage and interviews from the final Friday night at Deaf Club at Auckland Deaf Society before its long-awaited re-development in 2006.

The 32nd New Zealand Games for the Deaf wrapped up with a presentation dinner-and-dance evening at Addington Raceway’s ‘Twiggers’ on Sunday 25th October 1987. A jam-packed evening with plenty of talking, sitting down, a buffet meal, dancing to live music, and group photos, with the venue closing 1.30am!

In 1987, News Review became the first New Zealand programme to incorporate NZSL in its production. The show ceased in 1991 and to date, there has not been a similar programme using Deaf presenters or NZSL in full.

Christchurch Deaf Club hosted its annual picnic at Amberley, north of Christchurch. As usual, there are games aplenty, with the Amberley swimming pool a perfect location to cool off.

Weekend celebrations are kickstarted with a Māori Deaf kapa haka group to perform a haka powhiri. Vintage teachers such as Les Bury briefly summarise their experiences of working in Deaf education over the years.

The Northern Deaf womens’ team wins the third sevens tournament, comfortably beats Central 60-0 and Southern 34-0. Southern beats Central 34-5.

The 32nd New Zealand Games for the Deaf is featured on News Review, covering athletics, basketball, table tennis, lawn bowls and netball. The question, ‘Why have a Deaf Games?’ is put forward to competitors and officials! Footage also features the much appreciated ‘Canterbury Duck’ that Deaf kids had requested more of!

Susan, born as the only deaf person in a hearing family, talks about the dialect differences in sign between the South Island and the North Island, oralism, moving cities, participating in the Trans-Tasman Games, and meeting her husband, Paul.