She’s the Kiwi golden girl who started life in our very own King County, and after building a successful career, has also found happiness at home with husband Dean and her twin baby boys. Here’s everything you need to know about the sporting star.
Who is Jenny May Clarkson?
Born Jenny May Coffin in a small town of King County, Jenny May grew up in Piopio – a town nestled between the Waitomo Caves and the Taranaki Coast.
As she grew up, Jenny May developed a keen interest, and flair for netball, and by 1997, she had made the national side the Silver Ferns.
But this wasn’t before enrolling in police training in 1994, and working as a policewoman.
In her twenties, Jenny May was thrust into the sporting spotlight, and just a year later had to take on the Commonwealth Games. She was named vice captain of the Ferns in 2001, but by 2002 her national career was finished – though she did continue playing for domestic team Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic until 2004.
Retirement from Netball
By 2004, Jenny May announced her retirement from professional netball, landing a job as sports presenter on TVNZ.
She returned to competitive netball in October 2009. Signing with the Northern Mystics for their Championship season.
Jenny May Clarkson’s husband
By 2015, Jenny May had become a well-loved and popular star of the screen. With her sporting background and warm demeanour – she was the perfect presenter for the sports segment.
But for all her success, Jenny May had her worries – mainly that she had yet to meet that someone special.
“There I was, 40 years of age and thinking I may not ever meet someone,” Jenny-May told New Zealand Woman’s Weekly in 2015.
“I’m a very private person. But the truth is, I was battling with loneliness at the time.”
Agreeing to do an article to celebrate her milestone birthday, Jenny May declared her singleness to the universe – a move that ultimately led to her finding partner Dean.
Dean Clarkson’s mum, a Weekly reader, recalled the article, and as they watched Jenny May on screen she said to her son “That Jenny May, she’d be a good catch.
She’s single, she’s your age. She’s a gutsy woman – she’d be perfect for you.”
As fate would have it, three weeks later Dean and Jenny May would bump into each other in a bar in Auckland – and they hit it off straight away.
Seven months later – the couple were married, with a tearful Dean watching his beloved walk down the aisle in Auckland.
Pregnant with twins
Just a few weeks before the couple were set to wed, they discovered that Jenny May was expecting twins.
It was a surprise, even to Jenny, who knew that twins run in her family.
And in March 2016, Jenny May and Dean welcomed their first children together – twin boys named Atawhai and Te Manahau.
Speaking to the Weekly after the birth of her twins, Jenny May said she felt “really blessed.”
Doting father Dean, who has two daughters from a previous marriage, said his twins: “Have an amazing mum. I wouldn’t want to do this with anyone else. I love watching her with them – I knew she’d be awesome at it. She’s just a kind person and so nurturing of everyone. And now she has our boys. I’ve always known they’d be in good hands.”
Jenny May Coffin was born April 9, 1974 to parents Paddy and Waka.
Developing a strong flair for netball during her youth, by her early 20s Jenny May had a spot in the national team the Silver Ferns. Here she is pictured in the 90s with Ferns teammates and the New Zealand High Commissioner Simon Murdoch.
Despite retiring from national netball in 2002, Jenny May continued to play professionally for domestic sides after this point. Here she is in 2005 playing for the Mystics, the same year when she was given a job as sports presenter for TVNZ.
Over the coming years, Jenny May became a popular presenter of the sports news – thanks to her warm demeanour and sporting knowledge.
Jul 27, 2012
After taking a year off to embrace her heritage and learn Maori, Jenny-May discussed her challenges with Women’s Weekly telling us learning the language was “the hardest thing she’s ever done.” No mean feat for a woman who has had a career in policing, sport and netball.
Jul 29, 2014
Jenny-May celebrated her milestone 40th birthday in 2014, telling the Weekly: ““When you’re younger, you might think you’re supposed to get married and have children [by 40]! It’s not that I haven’t wanted those things, they just haven’t happened for me. And rather than feel sorry for myself, I accept where I am at this point in time and celebrate it!”
Jul 29, 2014
The sport star has a relaxed approach to ageing and apart from dying her hair, that is where her anti-ageing regime ends. She also swears by cross-fit five times a week, ocean swims and regular massages.
Mar 3, 2015
A keen animal lover, in early 2015 Jenny-May announced that she wants to raise awareness for the importance of looking after animals during natural disasters.
Jun 17, 2015
Jenny-May proudly supports her niece and fellow netballer Katherine Coffin, who plays for the Mystics just as her aunt used to.
Oct 6, 2015
After proposing just 11 days after they met, Jenny-May married her soulmate Dean Clarkson – a truck driver who she had a chance meeting with in February 2015.
Oct 6, 2015
Jenny-May’s father, Waka, proudly walked his beautiful daughter down the aisle, where Dean was waiting with tears in his eyes.
Nov 13, 2015
Not long after walking down the aisle, Jenny-May and Dean announced that they were having twins.
Jan 20, 2016
Jenny-May accepted an apology from the man who initially condemned her for remaining on TV while pregnant, calling her “an embarrassment.”
Feb 24, 2016
Six months pregnant with twins, Jenny-May chatted to the Weekly about her friendship with fellow broadcaster Stacey Morrison.
May 24, 2016
In March 2016, Jenny-May gave birth to twins Anthony Te Manahau Maurice Clarkson and Charles Atawhai Te Waka Clarkson.
Jenny May full video on her beautiful baby twins
May 24, 2016
Born on March 22, these little lads have brought complete joy and happiness to their parents, who just 18 months ago, hadn’t even met.
May 24, 2016
Jenny-May was determined to give birth to the boys naturally, but they ended up arriving by emergency C-section.
Oct 20, 2016
After finding her soulmate, marrying him then having twins all within a year, Jenny-May was ecstatic – “This is more than I ever wanted,” the broadcaster admitted – who on her 40th birthday had admitted she was happy where she was.
Nov 7, 2016
Recently, the former netball-star confessed she is confronting her fears and looking for a “third wheel” to join her and her husband Dean in a running competition.
