Cory Hutchings well received
Cory Hutchings spoke to selected groups of secondary school pupils at three seminars throughout Otago this month.
In Alexandra, schools attending were Dunstan High School, Maniototo Area, Cromwell College and Mt Aspiring College; in Balclutha, South Otago High School, Blue Mountain College, Catlins Area and Tokomairiro High School; and in Dunedin Kings High School, Otago Boys High School, Columba College, Bayfield High School, St Hildas Collegiate School, John McGlashan College, Kavanagh College, East Otago High School, Kaikorai Valley College, Logan Park High School, Otago Girls High School and Taieri College.
Mr Hutchings spoke on the individual and team attributes required to reach the top in their chosen sport, as part of the Sparc Sports Ambassador programme.
His presentation was centred around his personal fight back to compete at the highest level after he had been diagnosed with hepatitis A.
The moment he woke up in hospital, and was told he could no longer compete in the sport he loved, was a turning point in his life, he said.
"I learned that you never realise what you've got until it's taken away from you.
"Lying in that hospital bed, I knew they were wrong. I knew what I wanted to do and I decided there and then to give it a go," he said.
He went on to win three World Ironman titles. His story is a message for young athletes about having the determination to overcome adversity.
One hundred and twenty pupils attended the seminars.
Squash
Nine boys' and six girls' teams contested the 2009 SISS squash tournament held at the Otago Squash Club recently.
Some very competitive games were played. The standard of play was of a high standard, with the Christchurch Boys High School (A) team playing to its high national grading, winning the boys' event and dropping only one game in the process.
The team played Christchurch Boys High School (B) in the final with Nelson Boys College taking out third place from James Hargest College.
Apart from the winning team, the rest were very evenly matched, with many games tied. Any team on the day could have won the girls' competition, with St Kevins College heading out Dunstan High School by 24-21.
Third place went to Otago Girls High School (A) over South Otago High School, both on 18 points. Otago Girls won the tie between the two schools.
Leading final placings were. -
Boys: Christchurch Boys A, 1; Christchurch Boys B, 2; Nelson Boys, 3.
Girls: St Kevins College, 1; Dunstan High, 2; Otago Girls A, 3.
Southern area tournament
The annual Southern area schools tournament was held over three days last week in Twizel.
A variety of sports and activities kept the pupils from the six area schools - Catlins, Maniototo, Roxburgh, Twizel, Lawrence and Tuatapere - busy.
All sports, apart from the multisport at Lake Ruataniwha, were held on the Twizel school grounds or at the events centre beside the school.
The close proximity of all events ensured pupils were able to support one another during the different competitions.
Roxburgh was winner in the tech challenge, the climbing wall and the boys' rowing; Catlins in the girls' touch, netball and shooting; Maniototo in the boys' touch, volleyball and three-on-three basketball, while Lawrence won the theatre sports.
The Southern Area Schools team to compete in rugby, netball, volleyball, basketball, golf and seven-a-side football, at the South Island Area Schools Tournament in Christchurch during the first week of the July school holidays, was announced at the end of the tournament.
Fifty-eight students from the six schools will attend the tournament.
Until recently, the annual area schools tournament has been a national tournament. This has now changed to alternating between the national tournament and separate South Island and North Island tournaments.
A remit is being submitted at next week's National Area Schools Conference recommending the return to the annual national tournaments. This is supported by the Southern Area Schools.
The 2010 Southern area tournament will be held in Lawrence.
Pupil excels
John McGlashan College pupil Alex Dodds (16) has been training specifically for the triathlon, but has already claimed impressive results over several different disciplines.
Alex showed perseverance over the summer holidays to build a strong endurance base and finish among the top 10 non-professional athletes in the marathon leg of the challenge Wanaka Ironman.
Throughout the first term, Alex was first in the Otago-Southland secondary schools triathlon in Cromwell and third in the under-20 age group and under-19 secondary schools triathlon championships, both with very respectable performances.
Alex used his bike run component well, claiming 4th place in the open male 150km off-road rail trail duathlon and finishing consistently among the top athletes in mountain biking and endurance running events.
Alex is coached by Val Burke, of Wanaka, and gets significant guidance from Chris Bisley, a local ironman athlete.
Alex hopes to improve his swimming while focusing on the national duathlon championships in late August, and will ultimately move to the ironman distance race.
Sports exchange
Physical Education teachers Andrew Campbell and Nathan Alexander have been friends since university.
Both have recently been employed as full-time teachers, are competitive and love sport. So what better way to continue that rivalry than by pitting their respective schools against each other in a sports exchange.
Last year, Mr Campbell, who is employed as a PE teacher at East Otago High in Palmerston, and Mr Alexander, who is head of PE at Tokomairiro High in Milton, were able to organise a Junior Sports Exchange between the two schools that involved pupils from years 7-10.
However, because of the success of last year's competition, the event has almost been doubled, and now involves pupils from years 7-13.
On May 8, the two schools met for the second time in recent history to take part in what has become an annual school sports exchange.
The pupils from East Otago High travelled to Dunedin to meet the Milton contingent from Tokomairiro High, at the neutral arena of the Edgar Indoor Sports Facility, to compete in games of touch, basketball, volleyball and netball.
Each school sent five male and five female representatives from years 7-13.
Although all the pupils competed fiercely on the court, there was plenty of sportsmanship, goodwill and support off it.
The ultimate prize for the event was a trophy donated by East Otago High.
This exchange has begun a tradition of collegiality and competition between the two schools that will continue in the future.
A fantastic day was had by all involved, with the pupils of Tokomairiro High securing the trophy for overall winners for the second year running.
Cromwell College
Cromwell College had two teams compete in a Futsal tournament last Friday: under 14 and under 16 girls. They both qualified for the national tournament in Dunedin at Queen's Birthday weekend.
Felicitations to Matt Beaumont, who has been selected for the under-14 New Zealand Futsal team, which will travel to Sydney for an international tournament.
The Cromwell girls rugby team defeated Wakatipu High School 59-15. This is the first time Cromwell has fielded a girls' team.
Most players are new to the sport.
Women's rugby is new to Central Otago, and while there are only a few women's teams in the district, the numbers are expected to grow.
Congratulations to Kate Holden, who broke three records at the annual swimming sports: 50m breaststroke (1987), 50m butterfly (2004) and 50m medley (1997); and also to Rebecca Scully, who broke a 50m breaststroke (1998) record.
At the National Karate Championships, three Cromwell College pupils performed with distinction, winning bronze medals: Jacinda Morton, Kate Holden and Abby Holden.
The school's golf academy continues to flourish, with Kirk Collins and Riho Kanazawa being selected in the Otago under 19 team to play in the South Island Interpovincial Tournament, with Steffen Arlridge as reserve.
• Calendar of events
Today: Otago-Southland SS cross-country relays, Milton.
June 3: Otago SS cross-country, Wingatui Racecourse.
June 7-8: Otago SS netball tournament, Edgar Sports Centre.
- These articles are compiled by the Otago Secondary Schools Sports Assn Inc (OSSSA), which is proudly sponsored by the University of Otago College of Education.
