QUEEN’S HIGH SCHOOL
Yui Ishikawa
Highlight: Finishing 12th at the NZSS football nationals in 2024, winning the regional football competition in 2023 and 2024.
Legacy/activities: Re-establishing the Queen’s Sports Council in 2025 after many years of inactivity.
Being a sports leader: I have always been passionate about sports and being active. Being the sports prefect has put me in a position where I can lead young athletes to where they want to be, and bring new ideas to the school to help with sports. This responsibility has shown and given me opportunities to get over my fear and stress over public speaking, and helped me be more confident giving my opinion and ideas. I feel like I am more of someone who younger athletes look up to as I am getting older, and created a pathway to show what they can also achieve. It has taught me so many lessons, like helping other people and their needs, and also to not put as much pressure on myself to achieve high, and just let things happen as they happen.
MOUNT ASPIRING COLLEGE
Amaya East
Highlight: Competing in the 4x400m mixed relay at the New Zealand secondary schools athletics championships. Our team came away with the gold medal, just 0.5sec shy of the national senior record. To come so close to a national record was an exhilarating experience.
Legacy/activities: I have facilitated a group of years 7-8 girls to play netball games at lunch, which encouraged many more girls and some boys to get involved. At lunchtime we ran multiple games of netball at a time, which was a great way to get the juniors involved in sport during break times and encourage them to involve everyone. I also helped run house rippa competitions. This involved coaching multiple teams of students from my house and also helping select a mixed tournament team. This competition encouraged students of all capabilities of rippa to get involved in lunchtime sports competitions. Additionally, I have run house netball among all year groups, which involved refereeing and playing in a house netball competition and encouraging everyone of all ages and capabilities to get involved.
Being a sports leader: It has been an amazing opportunity that I’ve really valued throughout the year. It has allowed me to give back to the school community by sharing my passion for sport with others, and creating a fun and enjoyable environment. Encouraging younger students to get involved and seeing the positive impact of lunchtime sport has been incredibly fulfilling. One of the most rewarding parts has been seeing younger kids get excited about lunchtime sports and competitions. It has helped me strengthen my leadership and organisational skills while reinforcing teamwork and inclusivity. Being a sport leader has shown me how powerful the connections made through sport can be.
TRINITY CATHOLIC COLLEGE
Anamika Jones
Highlight: This question is a hard one to answer because school has given me so many opportunities to try out so many different sports. Playing sports, for me, is all one big highlight. If I had to pick something specific, it would be netball tournaments, as it’s where I’ve made some of the best memories.
Legacy/activities: The main message I wanted to spread to our school this year is "Give it a try". I have known friends who have wanted to try out a sport but are too worried they won’t be good enough. I want to show that anyone can start a sport no matter their level and support everyone to lift up others and encourage them. Something I did throughout school was use the opportunities the school gave me to try out a range of sports, no matter how good I was at the sport. I want to work towards a sporting environment where everyone is working together to make sports fun, supportive and competitive.
Being a sports leader: Being sports prefect is a privilege. Sports are such an important aspect of school and of life. In this role, I have learned so much about organisational skills and how to be a good leader. Taking a leadership position within the school is important because I want to give back to my school and serve others to be the best they can be. I hope to bring an uplifting spirit to this role because I think it’s important that everyone is supported and valued.
Ben Casey
Highlight: Volleyball nationals.
Legacy/activities: Organised 7&8 basketball tournament, coaching 7&8 basketball, staff v students games, prefects games with other schools.
Being a sports leader: Being a sports leader means more than just playing well on the field or court. For me, it’s about setting an example for others, showing respect and encouraging everyone to get involved, regardless of their ability. It’s about helping create an environment where people feel supported, motivated and proud to be part of a team.
LOGAN PARK HIGH SCHOOL
Sophie Campbell, Finn Dixon-Stewart and Isaac Simons
Highlight: Winning the co-ed winter sports tournament.
Legacy/activities: A series of sports activities focused on fun and participation: netball tournament, basketball, multisport — activities that were fun and got students involved. Supported sports teams.
Being a sports leader: The support from the community, including students who don’t even play sports, is incredibly meaningful. It’s amazing to see people rally behind a team. This support creates a powerful sense of unity and shared identity. We also valued the opportunity to build strong connections throughout our time at school. Being a part of a sports team forges close bonds, but being a sports leader has allowed us to connect with people across the entire school. It’s a great feeling to know we have been able to bring people together through our shared love of sport. We take our role as leaders seriously, and try to be a positive role model both on and off the field. This means demonstrating good sportspersonship, working hard and always showing respect for our team-mates, opponents and coaches. Encouraging participation is also a huge part of what being a leader means to us. We believe everyone should have the chance to be involved in sports, regardless of their skill level. We are big advocates for both competitive and social sport, as they both offer valuable opportunities for growth and enjoyment. Enthusiasm is contagious, and as leaders, it’s our job to be a source of positive energy.
