Term 3 is coming to an end and so too are our winter sports. This is a timely opportunity to reflect on the 'sports year' so far.

In Term 1 and 2 we have been involved with the Mt Biggs Tough Kids - 24 March, School Athletics on Monday 27th March, the Hunterville Interschool Athletic Championships 2023 - 31 March and Cross Country Event at Massey on 7th June.

We have had another busy term of sports opportunities offered to our students and so far we have been invited to participate in a Basketball 5-week taster up at Memorial Hall on Monday afternoon / evenings. The children really enjoyed this opportunity to experience a new and competitive sport.

We have had a very successful Hockey season for our Yrs 3-8 and this is coming to a close soon, the season is wrapped up on the 17/18/19th August.

Netball has also been full on, with the final games played on Saturday 12 August, our teams had four ten minute games of high intensity. It was exciting to watch. The final prize giving was held on 19th August.

Congratulations to our JCS All Stars (Year 5/6) who won the Rangitīkei Netball C Grade Champions, coached by Jodie Penn

and the JCS Sharp Shooters who won the Year 3-4 Sportsmanship Award shield.

Coming up tomorrow we have 81 students heading off to participate in the Rangitīkei Tough Kids Challenge. The children are very excited and we are told to expect plenty of mud and water. The event will be held at McIntyre Reserve, Otara Road, Ohingaiti, between 10 - 2 pm.

Quad Sports will be held on Tuesday 5th September for Years 7/8, Netball, Rugby, and Soccer will be played at Centennial Park and Hockey will be played at Rangitīkei College.

The Years 5/6’s will play on Thursday the 7th September, and they will also use the same venues as the older students have used.

On Tuesday 15th August our PAL leaders were invited to attend a training session at Ngāti Apa, here in Marton. Whānganui Sports worked alongside Brownie and his team to provide a comprehensive day of learning about the origins and the significance of the game Kī O Rahi (Maori ball game) to Māori, which derived from the legend of Rahitutakahina and his wife Te Arakurapakewai. They explained that our own 28th Maori Battaliion played this game during World War II and they shared the love of the game with the French, Italians and Americans.

Our students found understanding the importance of the legend behind the game to be very interesting. The day was finished off with a huge game of Kī O Rahi, including James Cook, Rangitīkei College students and adults. The mud and water was flying and an awesome time was had by all. We also learnt Kemu/games and all of these skills value movement, and help with stamina, quick thinking, flexibility, coordination etc as well as supporting communication, decision making and working with others, while having FUN! What an inspiring day - thanks to Ngāti Apa, Brownie and his team, and finally Whānganui Sports.

A group of students will be offered an opportunity to learn some more tennis skills with Sports Whānganui later in Term Three.  The school has already invested in this sport in 2022 so this is a natural extension of this programme.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge and thank all of our coaches, both parents and staff, who have given up a significant amount of their time to both coach and attend games with our tamariki. Your hard work has not gone unnoticed, thank you again.  Later in the term we will be inviting our coaches to come in so that we can formally thank you on behalf of the school.

Nga mihi

Whaea Sue

Sports Coordinator