Students have achieved great results at the Koru Games, Trinity College Exchange, and in junior basketball.

Sports Calendar:  Term 4, 2024

The term calendar is an overview of the sports events that are happening this term. If you have any questions about any upcoming events, please come and see Laura, Claire and Di at the Sports Hub or email us at: sports@mtaspiring.school.nz

Term 4

17 October - Central Otago Junior Volleyball Competition begins

22 October - Central Otago Junior Touch Competition begins

24 October - MAC Sports Awards evening

2-3 November - OSS Junior Volleyball Tournament

21 November - COPSSA Orienteering (Year 7/8)

28 November - COPSSA Triathlon (Year 7/8)

29 November - Year 9/10 Central Otago Girls Cricket Smash Tournament

30 November - Central Otago Senior Touch Tournament

7-8  December - NZSS Athletics Championships - Timaru

Extra information

The following websites / pages have detailed information regarding sport and competition the latest updates regarding school sport:

http://www.osssa.org.nz/ (Otago Secondary Schools Sports Association Inc.)

https://www.schoolsportnz.org.nz/ (School Sport New Zealand)

https://sportnz.org.nz/ (Sport New Zealand)

SPORTS NOTICES

NETBALL

Here is a message from the Mt Aspiring Netball Club, who run netball for all of our students:

We need you for the 2025 Season! 

Do you have a passion for netball and a desire to help shape the future of our up-and-coming Silver Ferns? Mt Aspiring Netball Club is on the lookout for coaches, assistant coaches, managers, and interested parties for teams from Year 7 to Year 13.

Whether you’re an experienced coach or just passionate about the sport and eager to pass on your knowledge, we need YOU to help guide the next generation of netball talent.

 What’s in it for you?

• The chance to inspire and develop young athletes

• Be part of a dedicated and supportive club community

• Help our players reach their full potential on and off the court

An information package is available by emailing us at mtaspiringnc@gmail.com or complete this Expressions of Interest in Netball Coaching 2025 form

Interested in coaching our top teams?

We’re specifically looking for coaches for MANC B, Year 9A, and Year 10A. If you’re keen to be part of this exciting opportunity, please send your interest to mtaspiringnc@gmail.com by next Wednesday 23 October 2024.

Join us and be part of something special in 2025.

SPORTS RESULTS

We love to hear what our MAC students have been up to in the sporting arena. Please keep us up to date with any news at sports@mtaspiring.school.nz.

KORU GAMES

In the last week of Term 3, we took 34 students to Christchurch to compete in the 10th annual Koru Games Tournament.  We took a Year 8 Netball team and, for the first time, we also took a Year 7/8 Boys Football team and a Year 7/8 Girls Football team.  The Koru Games is the largest South Island sporting event in the calendar.  This year, over 3500 students from 63 schools around the South Island competed in 17 sports.  

A huge highlight of the event is the Opening Ceremony, where all of the students come together for a welcome and for the games to be officially opened.  This year it was a huge honour for Sophia McClintock to be asked to read the Fairplay Promise at the Ceremony.  She spoke beautifully and we were extremely proud to have her up on the stage representing MAC.  Congratulations Sophia, you did an amazing job.

Our teams have been training hard since Term 2 and were ready to hit the ground running.  Really strong pool play from all three of our teams resulted in all three teams finishing top in their pools, so they all headed through to the playoff rounds.

For the Netball team, this meant that they went straight through to the semi finals, where they faced a tough Halswell Primary school team.  Continuing to show their dominance, the team worked their way into the final.  Coming up against a very strong and experienced Heaton Intermediate team was always going to be a really tough challenge for the girls, but they took it in their stride.  Halftime had MAC down by 4 points, but with 10 minutes to go in the second half they worked hard to pull it back to be all even with two minutes to go.  Unfortunately they couldn’t quite hold on and Heaton took the win 14-12.  What an absolutely amazing effort by this team and their support crew of Lou Carnie (Coach), Alice Lovelock (Manager) and Amanda Taylor (Manager and Umpire).  They have achieved so much this year and to make it to the final in this South Island competition, we are all so very proud of you. Well done team!

The Girls Football team faced West Rolleston Primary School in the quarter finals, and they beat them convincingly with a 3-0 scoreline.  Next up in the semis, the girls faced Christchurch South Intermediate.  A fantastic game meant that the two teams were tied 1-1 at full time, which meant that they went straight into a penalty shootout to determine who would move through to the finals.  Unfortunately the goals didn’t fall our way so Christchurch South moved through to the finals, and our girls headed through to the 3rd/4th playoff.  Meeting St Martins in the playoff, the girls came away with a 2-1 loss. What an awesome effort from this fearless team and their Coach, Rod Grant and their Manager, Kate Boswell.  4th in the South Island - so good!

The Boys Football team dominated in pool play, but they knew that they would come up against some tough competition in the final rounds.  In the quarter finals they faced West Rolleston.  A really tight game was played, but the boys managed to stay on top, taking the win 2-1.  In the semi’s they played a really strong Heaton Intermediate team.  However, they kept to their game plan and took the 1-0 win, which put them into the finals.  Casebrook Intermediate were their opponents for the final and it was set to be a really tight game, as the teams were very evenly matched.  MAC couldn’t quite hold on and went down 1-0 in the final, putting them in 2nd place.  A huge thank you must go to Rob Norman and Ben Wisbey for their coaching and management of this team - the boys are so lucky to have you.

So all in all, what a fantastic tournament.  Our largest contingent that we have taken to date and our best results ever.  Thank you so much to all of the parent support that allowed us to make this happen - what a fantastic experience for our students.

TRINITY COLLEGE EXCHANGE

On 19 and 20 September, we hosted the annual Year 7/8 Trinity College Sports Exchange.  Between the two schools we had over 200 students involved in another fantastic year of competition.

We want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who helped make the Trinity College Sports Exchange such a great success last week.  From the teachers in charge of each team, to the amazing senior students who helped with coaching, reffing, the mihi whakatau, the rugby haka, and all of the families who hosted the Trinity students in their homes for the night - we couldn’t have done it without you.  Thank you all for enabling us to run such a successful exchange.  What a great experience we have managed to offer to many of our year 7/8 students.

Another fantastic outcome was that we just managed to sneak in and win the Exchange 6-5. 

Here are the full results:

Girls Basketball 41-33 TRINITY

Boys Basketball 78-14 TRINITY

Year 7 Volleyball 2-0 TRINITY

Year 8 Volleyball 2-1 TRINITY

Year 7 Netball 10-8 MAC

Year 8 Netball 31-10 MAC

Year 7 Football 13-0 MAC

Year 8 Football 8-0 MAC

Girls Rippa Rugby 19-11 MAC

Hockey 7-5 MAC

Rugby 31-29 TRINITY

Teachers involved: Rob Bruce, Aimee Fergusson, Vicky Brown, Neil Stuart, Lana Whipp, Lydia McRae, Suzie Cochrane, Belinda Sides, Candace Carroll.

Senior Students involved:

Coaches:  Aria Winter, Lucy Radford, Kate Watson, Coco Bentley, Millie East, Eva Gilbertson, Cooper Norman, Zavier Taylor, Lewis Turner, Tom Sides, Sam Soper, Abbey Ragg, Ruby Ives.

Referees/Umpires: Charlie Roy, Lottie Hunt, Lucy Radford, Katie Lawrence, Claudia Patterson, Caroline Smith, Elijah Valentin, Noah Moody, Alex Pedersen, Zara Weatherly, Deacon Gwilliam Browne, Trinity Pullar, Harris Orbell, Lachlan Hay, Abbey Ragg, Ruby Ives, Joe Miller, Barnes Metcalfe.

BASKETBALL

The last week of Term 3 was a huge week for our junior Basketball teams, with 3 out of the 4 teams reaching the playoffs in the Central Otago Junior Basketball Competition.

The MAC Junior A Boys Basketball team won the Junior Boys A grade convincingly with a score of 51-32 over the Wakatipu High School 10A team.  Huge thanks to their Coach Beth Mackie, and Manager Corban Taylor, for a fantastic season with this team.

The MAC Junior Girls played Cromwell High School for 3rd and 4th place, after a 1 point loss in the semi finals last week against Dunstan High School.  They had a strong game, coming away with a 51-27 win.  Huge thanks to Sally Hart, who has worked really hard with this team this year.

MAC Black coached by Dan Cullen have gone from strength to strength in the B Grade this season.  Last week they went into the semi finals as the 4th ranked team, but managed to upset the number 1 ranked Wakatipu team, to make it through to the finals.  This week, they continued their winning streak, taking out the finals 58-52 against the Wakatipu High School 9B team.

RUGBY

PRIZE GIVING

Thank you to all of our Rugby community who attended our MAC Rugby prize giving last term.  It was a wonderful opportunity to extend our thanks to all our sponsors, volunteer whānau and supporters including coaches, managers and medics etc, as well as acknowledging our players and team’s achievements over the season.

The following players were awarded for their contribution to the season:

Girls 1st XV Players player:  Kate Watson

Boys 1st XV Players player:  Lachlan Hay

Girls 1st XV MAC Rugby team

Most promising player: Annie Wells

Most valuable players: Kate Watson and Kiana Babbington 

Junior Boys MAC Rugby team

Most promising player: Nate Gibson

Most valuable player: Rex Pickett

Senior Boys MAC Rugby team

Most promising player: Cameron Wilson

Most valuable player: Jack Sides

Boys 1st XV MAC Rugby team

Most promising player: Edward Jackson

Most valuable player: Tom Sides

TRINITY COLLEGE EXCHANGE VISIT - Year 7/8

At the end of last term, our Year 7/8 MAC Rugby team played against Trinity College.  It was a tough and physical game.  The players fought incredibly hard and did their school proud showing good sportsmanship, and determination throughout to lose by the narrowest margin (29-31).

Firstly, we would like to thank Sam Soper, Lewis Turner and Tom Sides for coaching the team (on field) and Charlie Roy (Referee), Lauchlan Hay and Hugh Ragg (sideline touch judges).  Secondly, we would like to acknowledge the huge support of Ryan Enoka and our Senior 1st XV girls and boys players in welcoming our visitors to the school during the mihi whakatau and showing manaakitanga during the game.  Finally, our sincere thanks to Chris Gilfedder, Justin Carnie and Shaun McCarroll for helping out with the trials and training.

RUGBY REPRESENTATIVE PLAYERS

Congratulations to the following players who have been selected into Otago Representative teams this season:  

Highlanders Schools U18: Ryan Enoka and Jackson Clark

Otago Country U18: Charlie Roy, Ryan Enoka, Jackson Clark and Tom Sides

Otago Country U16: Jack Sides

Otago Country U14: Mackenzie Hay

U17s Otago Maori:  Ryan Enoka, Jackson Clark, Kahlarni Hondelink, Cameron Armstrong and Lachlan Hay

U15s Otago Maori: Cory Enoka, Mack Hay and Jimmy Cooper

U17s Otago Maori Kohine: Kate Watson, Lianna Waitoa, Kiana Babbington, Alianna Hay and Katie Lawrence

TRAINING OPPORTUNITY - FITNESS AND TECHNIQUE WITH AARON CALLAGHAN

Aaron will be providing some sessions on fitness/safe technique training for all interested MAC Year 7-13 Rugby players.  The first session will be taking place next Tuesday 22 October in the Old Performance room at lunchtime for the students.

If for any reason students are unable to attend but would like further information on these sessions - information can be obtained via Facebook Messenger - please be in touch with Belinda Sides - sidesb@mtaspiring.school.nz  to be added to the group.

Furthermore, if you have any questions relating to the content of the sessions or would like some more information, please contact Belinda or Aaron.

COMMUNITY SPORTS NOTICES

These activities are all run externally (not through MAC), but they are aimed at our students, so we don’t want you to miss out!  If you have any questions about the activities listed below, please contact the appropriate club/organiser and they will be able to help you.

RUGBY

Otago Rugby are excited to be hosting the Southern Schools Year 9/10s 7's Tournament. 

Save the date: Tuesday 19 November 2024 - 9am to 3pm (Postponement date: Wednesday 20 November.

Where: Dunedin Rugby Football Club (Kettle Park) - 12 Moana Rua Road, Kettle Park Road, St Kilda, Dunedin 9012. 

Who: This is open to all girls and boys aged 15 years or younger in secondary schools south of Waitaki. 

Grades: Year 9/10 boys, Year 9/10 boys development and Year 9/10 girls. 

Rules: https://www.world.rugby/the-game/laws/variations/3/sevens/

Link to register:

https://www.sporty.co.nz/viewform/306456 registrations close Friday 8 November 5pm.