The Cook Islands men’s and women’s volleyball teams received recognition at the recent Matariki Cup competition held in Tauranga, New Zealand.

Jackie Rongo, Cook Islands Volleyball Federation (CIVF) development coordinator and women’s coach, received the Coach of the Tournament Award.

“I was blown away and humbled receiving the Coach of the Tournament Award! Even more so, I was very proud of our athletes that achieved individual recognition for their efforts,” Rongo said.

“Each athlete has trained or currently trains under ‘Ātui’anga ki te Tango (AKTT) Volleyball – the team I coach alongside Liam Clegg, who I am extremely thankful to for being on this journey with me.

“Seeing these athletes shine in an international tournament and receive recognition as Cook Islands National Volleyball team players was the cherry on top.”

Rongo said Cook Islands women’s captain Tuaana Mitchell and men’s captain Ryan Nicholson led their respective teams well. 

The men’s and women’s teams finished as runners-up, losing to AMP Tipua and AMP Waiariki in their respective finals.

“A special mention to men’s MVP Jacques Koteka and men’s vice-captain, who was part of the very first team I ever coached and is still with AKTT today. He is one of the hardest working athletes I know and it was awesome to see him playing high level volleyball in this tournament.”

Rongo said the 4^th Matariki Cup Volleyball Challenge was a true embodiment of the spirit of why this competition was created – “to strengthen our cultural connection and bond across Te Moananui-a-Kiva through our shared love of volleyball.”

With Kōrero o te ‘Ōrau as major sponsor, the tournament was held in Rarotonga in 2022 and 2023, hosted by the Cook Islands Volleyball Federation. Last year, it was hosted by Volleyball Tahiti and this year it was held in Tauranga, New Zealand, hosted by Aotearoa Maori Poirewa.

Rongo said the Aotearoa Maori Poirewa (AMP) under the direction of Ngākohu and Tui Papunui were incredible hosts in Tauranga, housing them at the beautiful Hungahungatōroa Marae and organising their competition playing at the new flash courts at Haumaru Sport and Recreation Centre.

“We are so grateful! Our men’s and women’s teams truly enjoyed their experience. It was so awesome to see our home-grown local athletes from Rarotonga and Aitutaki play at the next level.”

Rongo acknowledged everyone – parents and guardians, volleyball community here and in Aotearoa, sponsors, her husband Dr Teina Rongo and children – who supported them in every shape or form to build indoor volleyball opportunities for the national team athletes in the Cook Islands.

“Atawai Wolo to our Pukapuka community in Auckland and Minister Tingika Elikana who accommodated us on our way to Tauranga, and to our Cook Islands families based in Tauranga for caring for us throughout,” she said.

“One last special thanks to the Cook Islands Volleyball logistics and management team along with the travelling aunties and players for doing what they do to keep us as one. We started together and finished together!

“There is more work to do for sure. We look forward to hosting AMP on Rarotonga in 2026.”

Awards

Womens: Best Spiker – Tuaana Mitchell, Best Blocker – Twina Tangirere, Best Defender – Elizabeth Akaruru; Mens: Most Valuable Player – Jacques Koteka, Best Server – Jacques Koteka, Best Blocker – Jacques Koteka, Best Defender – Ryan Nicholson.

Position Summary: The Assistant Director of Behavioral Health & Performance Specialist provides clinical leadership, direct services, and program oversight within Tulane University’s Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. Reporting to the Assistant Athletic Director, Behavioral Health & Performance, this position is responsible for managing the delivery of comprehensive mental health services to student-athletes. The Assistant Director of Behavioral Health & Performance ensures high-quality, evidence-based care while collaborating with internal and external partners to promote student-athlete wellbeing, resilience, and performance.

Essential Functions of the Job:

1. Function: Clinical Services – Provides psychotherapy (individual, crisis, and group) to Tulane student-athletes, with emphasis on performance-related and sport-specific concerns; conducts intake evaluations, diagnostic assessments, treatment planning, and referrals for student-athletes, including coordination with athletic and medical partners as needed; oversee clinical caseload management for the Behavioral Health & Performance unit to ensure timely access for new student-athlete clients; serves as a primary point of contact, with student-athlete consent, for communication with collateral parties including parents, coaches, medical staff, faculty, and administrators; ensures the Behavioral Health & Performance unit’s adherence to university, NCAA, and professional standards, updating and implementing policies and procedures as needed; provides leadership in case formulation, clinical decision-making, and team consultation to support effective care delivery; oversee and ensure that treatment approaches are tailored to the unique needs of student-athletes, while maintaining professional standards of care; directs case disposition decisions, coordinating referrals internally and externally to ensure comprehensive support for student-athletes; carries an appropriate treatment caseload, including individual therapy cases and leading and/or co-leading groups and workshops when appropriate, and takes responsibility for ongoing monitoring and management of case assignments; provides leadership and oversight during complex cases, crisis consultations, and hospitalizations, serving as the clinical point of escalation; documents patient records in EHR in a timely manner and ensures that the records are accurate; maintains professional standards of mental health care delivery, including ethical and legal issues; provides consultation and supervision to Clinical Case Manager; and promotes professional development for the Behavioral Health & Performance team, including ongoing training, supervision, and performance feedback. (65%)

2. Function: Leadership & Supervision – Provides consultative assistance to the Tulane community and Campus Partners regarding mental health as needed; represents the Tulane Athletics at campus events, including weekend parent and student orientation sessions, off-hours outreach and workshop opportunities, etc.; forms positive working relationships with Campus Partners and others within Student Affairs and throughout the University Community; demonstrates willingness to be a Tulane Athletics representative and campus presence at a variety of events as needed; 0versee daily operations of the Behavioral Health & Performance case management team; provide supervision, mentorship, and consultation to case management, and interns as appropriate; and assist in hiring, training, and evaluating team members to support departmental goals. (10%)

3. Function: Program Development & Collaboration – Partner with the Assistant Athletic Director, Behavioral Health & Performance to design and implement innovative mental health and performance initiatives; develop workshops, team training, and outreach programming to enhance student-athlete wellbeing and reduce stigma around mental health; serve as a key liaison between Athletics, the Tulane Center for Sport, Tulane Institute of Sports Medicine, and other campus and community resources; and contribute to the development of policies, procedures, and best practices for student-athlete care. (10%)

4. Function: Administrative & Compliance – Collect and analyze data to evaluate program effectiveness and identify opportunities for improvement; ensure departmental practices align with NCAA, institutional, and professional ethical guidelines; and uphold strict confidentiality standards and safeguard student-athlete records. (5%)

5. Function: Emergency Preparation and Response – Serves as a member of the department and/or divisional crisis response teams and/or the University’s Essential Personnel, as needed; carries out activities detailed in the All-Hazards Plan; participates/contributes to annual review of emergency processes and procedures; maintains departmental emergency equipment and supplies; assists with coordination/support of department operations during emergencies; attends training to maintain knowledge of emergency response protocols; adheres to federal, state, and local regulatory requirements to maintain safety and emergency protocols; and participates in regularly scheduled drills to maintain safety procedures and university protocols. (5%)

6. Function: Other Duties – Performs other duties as requested or required, whether or not specifically mentioned in this job description. (5%)

Required Education and Experience:

• Master’s Degree in Counseling, Social Work, or Psychology  
• Current Licensed Professional Counselor, PLPC, LCSW or other mental health therapist license recognized by the State of Louisiana (or the ability to obtain within 30 days of the start date) 
• Experience working with athletic population  
• One year of clinical experience  

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities/Competencies:

• Ability to protect confidentiality and meet all ethical standards associated with the practice of psychology within a university counseling center context
• Strong clinical expertise in the assessment and treatment of mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, trauma, eating disorders, and sport-performance concerns.
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills, able to dialogue effectively with a wide range of students, faculty and staff
• Ability to effectively utilize an electronic medical records system
• Demonstrated leadership, supervisory, and team-building skills.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills with diverse stakeholders, including students, families, coaches, administrators, and healthcare providers.
• Knowledge of developmental trends and concerns of undergraduates, as well as graduate and professional students
• Ability to engage in an ongoing pursuit of self-knowledge and understanding of own personal factors affecting clinical work

Preferred Qualifications:

• Training and interest in working with multicultural issues and students with diverse identities
• Experience in developing and delivering case management to high profile athletes and their families.
• Prior experience working with NCAA Division I student-athletes or high-performance/elite athlete populations.
• Certification or advanced training in sport psychology, trauma-informed care, or performance enhancement strategies.
• Experience in administrative leadership, program development, or interdepartmental collaboration.

NCAA Related:

Ensures that all Department of Athletics and University related activities operate in full compliance with university, conference, and NCAA rules and regulations. Attends and participates in scheduled compliance seminars and complies with all the Athletic Department’s efforts to monitor compliance with NCAA regulations. Seeks interpretations from the compliance staff before acting when necessary. Reports potential rules violations immediately.  Completes required compliance paperwork in a timely and efficient manner. Monitors all of their areas and/or programs activities closely to maintain compliance with applicable rules and regulations. 

In order to be considered for this position, applicants are required to apply for IRC34061 via the Tulane University employment website (https://jobs.tulane.edu/position/IRC34061).  The position is OPEN UNTIL FILLED.

Please Note: Tulane University has officially adopted a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy, which includes the requirement of a booster when eligible. All employees and visiting faculty must be fully vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccination or obtain approval for a medical or religious exemption prior to beginning employment.

Tulane University is an EOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled employer with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. Applications by members of all underrepresented groups are encouraged.

About Tulane University

Founded in 1834, Tulane is one of the most highly regarded and selective independent research universities in the United States. A member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, we take pride in being a part of this select group of 62 universities with “pre-eminent programs of graduate and professional education and scholarly research.” Our schools and colleges offer undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees in the liberal arts, science and engineering, architecture, business, law, social work, medicine and public health and tropical medicine. With a seventeen-sport program that competes in the American Athletic Conference, Tulane Athletics is on the rise, boasting one of the oldest and most storied athletics programs in the Southeast, and indeed the nation.Tulane University is an EOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled employer with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. Applications by members of all underrepresented groups are encouraged.

Connections working at Tulane University