Luge — Tayla Ward by Supplied

Sports Round Up for February

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In February Year 12 student Tayla Ward returned from competing for the New Zealand Women’s Luge team at the World Cup in Austria, Germany and Italy during December and January. Tayla won the individual junior women’s division at the Austrian Cup in Judenburg. Tayla also won the New Zealand Open Luge Cup last year. Tayla will continue training with the national team and she is aiming for selection for the Winter Olympics.

Jonty Horwell, Year 12, continues to excel in Bowls. He is the NZ Secondary Schools Boys Champ, and is in the South Island U21 Development team. In February, he was informed that Bowls NZ National selection panel have selected him for consideration by the NZ Olympic Committee for the NZ Commonwealth Youth Games in Samoa, in September. The final selection will be made in April/May.

Year 9 student Annie Kennedy-Atchison was selected to represent the region in the National Junior Surf Life Saving Champs in Mount Maunganui. Annie competed with the St Clair Club at the Southern Region Junior Champs held at Waikaouiti at the end of January. There were 250 competitors from 12 clubs across the South Island. Annie contributed to her club's overall points win, by winning 2 golds, 4 silvers and 2 bronze medals in her events which included Surf Swim, Board Race, Tube Rescue, Board Rescue, Board Relay and Grand Cameron Relay.

Summer sports are in full swing. We have 3 Tennis teams, 12 Futsal teams, 5 Volleyball teams, 2 Water-polo teams and 4 Touch teams playing in regular competitions. Our Cricket team is doing really well and beat Taieri High School in the Gillette Cup in February and they are still unbeaten.   There has been a lot of interest in Sailing after school on Mondays. We are also seeing record numbers at the Climbing Wall every lunchtime. Harriers has started up and our top girls’ Volleyball team is competing in the Otago Secondary Schools Volleyball tournament on March 6 and then they will go to Christchurch at the end of March for the Satellite Volleyball Champs.

This year we are opening the Gym before school and students appreciate the access and opportunity to practise their sports.

Our Sports Day was a big success, with enthusiastic participation and fierce competition, thanks to Scott Bayne and his team’s superb organisation. Omimi House were the overall winners.

21 students qualified for the Otago Secondary Schools Athletics Champs held on February 28 and we’ll feature their results in the next Park Press.

Our Sports Co-ordinator is still looking for more parents to help with coaching, managing or transporting students to games. If you can help in any way, please contact Francine Vella on frv@lphs.school.nz.