You Can't Make an Omelette Without Breaking a Few Eggs. By Steve Stannard.
So, as much as this is an entertaining read, his family and friends hope that many of the underlying themes of ‘how to act and think differently’, will resonate with you to the extent that people who can make a difference in our society - and isn’t that all of us - will start changing the way we discuss, argue and negotiate the important issues of the day.
Born in Sydney, the only boy amongst four sisters, Steve showed tremendous potential to achieve success in a wide range of sports and also academically. He was a very high achiever with a personal life motto (borrowed from legendary motorsport driver Peter Brock), “Bite off more than you can chew, and then chew like hell!”.
Locals in Palmerston North where he arrived in the early 2,000’s, saw Steve “chew like hell” to establish the School of Sport and Exercise Science at Massey University, an internationally recognised annual cycle event The Gravel and Tar, and the Greasy Chain Charitable Trust, a group encouraging Kiwis to improve their health by getting on their bikes.
Cycling doyen, sports scientist and lately barista, Steve Stannard succumbed to cancer on Saturday, 30th August 2025, aged 58. This book contains 50 of his great opinion pieces.
Matthew Dallas, Steve’s Editor at The Manawatu Standard, for whom he wrote many articles, said of Steve, “Steve Stannard was one of the Manawatū regions most energetic advocates, a personality fuelled by perseverance and passion”.
Cycling doyen, sports scientist and lately barista, Steve succumbed to cancer on Saturday, 30th August 2025, aged 58.
“You can’t Make an Omelette Without Breaking a Few Eggs” containing 50 of Steve’s published opinion pieces, was launched at his memorial on Friday 21st 2026 vin Palmerston North. It’s a tribute to Steve and his contribution to his community, and indeed the wider society. As publisher Bob Selden commented, “Where we often see today’s leadership antagonistic and polarising, you’ll find Steve’s articles reflect his often ‘way out’, but always practical, advice on how to better live our lives in a collaborative rather than confrontational manner”.
And whilst you’ll often find the 50 articles have a good dose of Steve’s off-beat humour, the topics are expressed in a way that even those who disagree with his opinion, will likely muse, “That’s an interesting way of describing (the topic). I’d never have thought of it like that. It’s worth considering”.
Note: When you buy a copy of Steve's book, all proceeds are going to
|
Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand |
So, your purchase of a great read, is also helping others. Thank You.
Tuesday, February 18, 2025
This is a compilation of short articles I have written for the media, almost exclusively whilst living in New Zealand.
Apart from one or two, they have all been published in either the Post, Stuff.co.nz, the Manawatu Standard, or the NZ Herald. This means that they have been through a peer-review process, which as a former academic, is important to me.
They are primarily Opinion Pieces, but unlike many other such labelled published articles by others, I try to back many of these up with evidence, often data. Again, that’s my academic background coming through!
If they are not driven by data or other “evidence” then often they describe a personal experience, often borne of frustration. Personal experience makes an article less dry, and tells you something about myself.
In fact one of the reasons I decided to create this compendium was to share to the world a little about me. I guess it means I don’t have to write an autobiography!
Finally, very often I have felt a little restricted by what I can say in these articles because it might not fit within the narrative of the masthead.
So, on many occasions I have tried to leave a subtle message that the reader has to identify by thinking hard about the words. That has been a skill for both myself and will be for the reader to be able to get the full message!
While that might all sound a bit dry, I hope the articles are either entertaining or informative.
The people who are the inspiration for putting this book together include author Bob Selden, who somehow sees some value in my writing! But also the many people who encouraged me to write and publish over the years, sometimes because they have felt constrained to do the same thing. Lastly, many people that have told me that I have encouraged them in some way with what I have written over the years.
For Elizabeth, Robert and Thomas