Year 12 Dean and Physical Education Teacher, Gary McNaughton has recently been recognised by Cycling New Zealand at their annual awards evening.

Anyone who is involved in cycling coaching should be in awe of Gary McNaughton, the coach of Christchurch Boys’ High cycling team. Gary McNaughton is manager and coach of the team and does it almost entirely on his own. At a local level he has a team of approximately 35 riders and always brings the best of them to school road nationals. Inevitably his boys are amongst the medals.

Last year his team won two gold medals and a silver in the individual events and two bronze medals in the Team Time Trial. Over the previous 5 years, his riders have taken home 5 national titles in the individual events.

At an Island and Regional level the Christchurch Boys’ High School cycling team is without doubt the dominant force in school cycling. Their list of successes is extensive but two examples stand out.

• They have been winners of the Canterbury Schools Team Time Trial Senior Championships every year since 2005; and
• they have won the South Island Championship Top School Points Trophy every year since 2012.

Gary would be the first to admit that he does not attend to all of the personal coaching of his riders. His role is that of the classic school coach who enables riders to come together and achieve at a maximum level as a team. Many of his riders would not have achieved individual success without Gary being the catalyst to their riding development. These include multiple National Champion, Michael Vink, and the youngest ever winner of the Tour of Southland, Josh Atkins.

He does this entirely voluntarily over and above his role as teacher and Year 12 Dean at Christchurch Boys’ High School while at the same time parenting three young boys.

CBHS congratulates Gary on his Coach of the Year title.