It was our privilege and honour to officially open the Otago Community Trust King’s Hockey Turf on Monday. It’s a fantastic addition to the sport and recreation of the school, city, and nation.

For a long time, this Turf existed as a very worthy aspiration. Then it became a large hole in the ground (fuelling speculation that a new swimming pool was on the way). Now it’s finished as a stunning, new, modern facility for the young and not–so–young, to enjoy Hockey participation and performance, and for wider multi-sport use in King’s Sport and PE.

The Turf represents a uniting of the school, Otago Hockey, Sport Otago, and the City Council.

For King’s, the Turf is a welcome extension to the breadth of high-quality education we offer. Excellent education is, in part, a healthy and competitive one, in which teams grow and individuals thrive. Personal excellence is found on the end of a Hockey stick as well as the end of a pen, brush, workshop tool or keyboard. This Turf’s also the convergence of generous goodwill and expertise from a range of people, who have made it all happen.

A special thank you goes to all our key funders who joined the school, Otago Hockey and the DCC in funding this superb project: The Otago Community Trust, The Lottery Community Facilities Fund, The Alexander McMillan Trust, The New Zealand Community Trust, The Lion Foundation, The Bendigo Trust and the AAW Jones Charitable Trust.

The Turf also came from essential work by the King’s Board of Trustees and the Project Control Group of Mark Todd, John Brimble, Mike Kain, Karl Thom, Andy McLean, David Booth, Taryn Gudmanz and Richard Wingham (David, Taryn and Richard also on the King’s Board).

Earlier in the day, we blessed the Turf at sunrise with karakia and appropriate observance of tikanga. Thank you to Matu Pene for leading this important cultural dimension.

There were four main speakers for the occasion. 

• Mayor Aaron Hawkins spoke about how the facility added to the city’s attractions and sporting opportunities, as a community asset.
• John Daniel, from Otago Hockey, described the longer-term origins of the project and all those involved in driving it, as a true team effort over time. He applauded the personal commitment and work for a “hope-filled future” that brings people together on site.
• Patrick Ward, 2021 Deputy Head Boy and First XI Hockey Player, read a statement on behalf of Old Boy Darren Smith (Black Sticks Coach) who is currently at the Olympics. In it, Darren paid tribute to the school and the influence and service of Dave Ross as a master coach in getting him and others to the highest level. This gratitude was reiterated later with a special award for services to New Zealand Hockey presented to Dave by the CEO of New Zealand Hockey, Anthony Crummy.

The final speaker was Deputy Prime Minister, loyal Old Boy and former Head Prefect, Grant Robertson. Grant acknowledged the personal support he and his family received at King’s and from Rector Ian Simpson. He also described South Dunedin as ‘rich in every way' and as ‘a community to be proud of’. He talked a little about his formative experiences at King’s, with strengths primarily academic but including proud forays into our sport in his youth. Grant also praised the community, King’s staff, Otago Hockey and Hockey New Zealand for their huge efforts and achievement. Grant said he never imagined that such a world-class facility could be here when he was at the school. 

During the morning Grant met all Year 13 and Year 9 Economics students – potentially getting some of the hardest questions he may have faced for a while! 

Grant ended the official opening proceedings by taking a ceremonial shot at goal along with Dave Ross, Patrick Ward and Jenny McDonald (described by those in the know as ‘hockey royalty’)

What a great way to launch the new term.

Ngā mihi nui,

Nick McIvor