Ellesse Andrews and How to DAD cycle around the velodrome.

The orange text reads: "Out of My League"

10m

NEW. How good would the Olympics have been with an 'average Joe' lane, so you could really grasp how extraordinary our athletes truly are? How to DAD is your Joe.

Made possible with the support of RNZ.

Series details.

About

Jordan Watson (Tainui), the viral How to DAD guy, is out of his league.

"Watching the Olympics, I've always thought, 'Imagine if there was an average Joe lane'--so here I am."

At 38 years old, this 6'1", 100 kg father of three daughters proclaims himself an "all-round athlete" (he's run 10 km in jandals, once birdied a golf hole, can carry three kids at once, and helf the 100 m jandal sprint world record). No elite training, no pedigree--just a pair of stubbies, a sweat band, mana, and pure, reckless enthusiasm.

"How hard could it be?"

Out of My League is a hilarious six-episode web series (10 minutes each), blending comedy, chaos, and competition. Each episode thrusts How to DAD into one-on-one showdowns against New Zealand's top sporting legends: from a 200 m kayak sprint against Olympic gold medallist Dame Lisa Carrington, to flying laps on the velodrome versus Olympic gold medallist Ellesse Andrews, javelin tosses, speed climbing, rugby skills, swimming, and a heap of sweat.

"How hard can I tackle him?" - Portia Woodman-Wickliffe

Out of My League mixes How to DAD's self-deprecating humour, reality-TV energy, and athlete spotlights. We've said goodbye to his low-budget YouTube camera and dropped him in the middle of a high-end production. Multi-camera, drones, slo-mo -- there's nowhere for How to DAD to hide...

"You'll definitely fall out of the kayak." - Dame Lisa Carrington

The format hooks fast: high-energy teasers of impending battle cut to candid, on-location chats where How to DAD charms exclusive insights from these icons.

Forget PR polish -- these are hard-hitting questions like:

"Do pro swimmers still pee in the pool?"

"The bike seat hurts my bits -- can I swap it?"

"Do you yell at rivals mid-race?"

Athletes pull back the curtain on mindset, grueling prep, and human vulnerabilities, revealing universal truths beneath the medals. How to DAD's training montages?

Short-lived and highly unpredictable, gasping through tips, building to a high-stakes showdown where a cheeky head start may come into play here and there...

After witnessing How to DAD's swimming ability, Olympic swimmer Erika Fairweather replied with, "Oh. Wow."

Director and "wannabe athlete" How to DAD reflects: "This has been six pinch-yourself moments. Training with, competing against, and hearing stories from these legends -- it's dream stuff. I'm tired, sore, but I'lll be bussing for a long time yet."

Will he snag a moral victory in javelin? Swimming? Anyone? Root for the underdog or cheer on the pros. Get amongst it. Share the chaos. Out of My League is here.

"Has anyone seen my chaffing cream?" - How to DAD

Credits

Jody Watson & Jordan Watson
Executive Producers & Producers
Jana Te Nahu Owen & Tim Burnell
RNZ Executive Producers
Jordan Watson
Director
How to DAD
Wannabe Athlete
Dame Lisa Carrington, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, Tori Moorby, Sarah Tetzlaff, Erika Fairweather, & Ellesse Andrews
Actual Athletes
Jayne Joyce
Animation & Graphics Director
Nicholas Meuli
RNZ Commissioning Assistant
Josie Campbell
RNZ Publicity Manager
Poppy Granger
RNZ Publicity & Research Coordinator
Taylor Sincock
RNZ Social Media Editor

Ngā mihi - Megan Whelan

Produced by

The Watson Project

Funded by

The RNZ partner logo for use on dark backgrounds.

Get in touch

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