Courtesy: Nelson Mail


Top of the south, and top of the table

25/07/2012

Tasman schools were a dominant force in many sports as the top of the south team they represented claimed the overall winner's prize at the Area Schools National Sports Tournament in Dunedin during the holidays.

Nineteen competitors from Collingwood, Tapawera and Murchison came together to participate with other students from area schools around New Zealand in a range of sports including rugby, netball and football (futsal) to basketball, volleyball and golf.

The students from the Tasman area were well liked by their peers and respected on the playing pitch, and a host of them went on to make the South Island rep team. The very best were selected to the New Zealand Area Schools national teams after playing matches against their North Island opposition.

Collingwood Area School took the largest team, with an 11-strong group making the trip down to Dunedin. They performed extremely well in the top of the south team made up of schools from Tasman, West Coast and Canterbury.

The Collingwood contribution was recognised as South Island representative sides were selected. Ryan McKay was selected in the South Island rugby team, Liam Miller for South Island basketball, Sarah Robinson for South Island netball A and Katie Barham for South Island netball B.

Josh Richards was chosen as goalie for the New Zealand Futsal (indoor football) team and the gifted Brianna Davis was selected for the New Zealand volleyball and netball teams, to add to her South Island representative honours in basketball.

Sports director and deputy principal Stephen Beck said the whole team were fantastic but made special mention of the nationally recognised competitors.

"Well done to Brianna and Josh, who where standouts during the week and making New Zealand Area School Teams. Josh impressed all with his fearless acrobatics in the goal, and Brianna had a superb effort to make higher honours across three sports she competed in.

"Also a huge well done to Katie Barham, who has been named in a wider training squad to become part of the New Zealand Area Schools netball team to play in the trans-Tasman tournament next year."

From Murchison Area School, Rimu McGrath and Nick Hewitt formed a small but specialised team of two, but their numbers were soon engulfed by a huge influx of like-minded students when they got to the southern city.

Rimu was selected for the South Island team for both netball and volleyball and Nick had amazing success in the golf. After a couple of practice rounds early in the week, Nick was invited to play in the Otago under-19 open golf and came third out of a field of 40 players. The next day he participated in the Otago under-19 Mizone Open and again came third.

For Tapawera Area School it was a perfect record with each student attending gaining selection for the South Island teams to compete against the North Island.

In a particular area of strength, Emma Hogkinson, Jaimee Robinson, Emily Badcock, Chris Brake and Te Toka Katene were all selected in volleyball for New Zealand Area schools.

Wiremu James was selected for South Island in futsal and basketball, and was shortlisted for New Zealand but just missed out.

To go with their achievement in gaining selection at the highest level, Emma and Chris also received a special mention as the tournament's most valuable players.

Emma said the tournament was a great success for the Tasman sides on the field, but one of the most positive aspects was the interaction outside of the white lines.

"It was quite easy to get along with all the other students from around the country.

"We found it really easy to relate to each other because we are all from small schools and there were a lot of good friendships made."

"It gives us [students who live in rural communities] an opportunity to be able to compete at a level that is our own. This is a big event and it means a lot to us to be able to have this competition."

Chris, a New Zealand track and field representative, noted that one of the tournament's biggest challenges was also one of its strengths.

"What made the tournament a success was the fact you don't get to practice with the other players on your team at the tournament, so you have to make friends straight away. That communication and getting out there is one of the best things about the tournament."

Te Toka joked he was just happy they made it to the tournament at all.

"The first day going to the sports centre we kind of got lost. We were in Emma's mum's van and I don't think any of us had been to Dunedin before, so we were lost for a good old hour."

Bernadette Hogkinson was one of the many volunteers who made this trip possible, driving more than 12 hours each way.

All the students wanted to express their thanks and gratitude to those who made their mightily successful competition possible.




Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com