Early in term two, we farewelled a long-serving member of staff, Mr Lindsay Calton, who has been the Sports Coordinator at Palmerston North Boys' High School since March 1993. Mr Calton has a passion for sport and the outdoors and a genuine interest in providing opportunities for young men to be challenged and to achieve personal development through co-curricular activities.

Mr Calton has played a pivotal role in the organisation of key school events for the last 32 1/2 years. Athletics Championships, Swimming Championships, School Road Race, Cross Country, Junior Road Race, Shand Shield competitions, sports exchanges, Super Eight tournaments, Year 10 camps, Year 13 Mountain Trip and school Prizegivings, alongside a multitude of other 'one off' events, have all benefited from his organisation, experience and attention to detail. With teams and groups away from school on an almost daily basis and significant numbers involved in the Year 10 camp programme, organising buses and vans to transport this multitude of groups has been another important aspect of his role. The countless hours of 'behind the scenes' work are essential in providing these opportunities for our young men and Mr Calton has always approached this in a positive and proactive manner.

Prior to joining PNBHS, Mr Calton worked as a draughtsman and for many years, his tidy and well-formed lettering adorned certificates presented to young men for a wide range of sporting achievements.

Mr Calton has been directly involved with school sport, having coached cricket and rugby teams throughout his tenure at PNBHS. In his first few years, he coached the 3rd XV and 2nd XV before managing the 1st XV from 1999 - 2012. Any involvement with a 'first team' is a significant time commitment, and Mr Calton's dedication and willingness to do whatever was necessary to provide opportunities for the young men in the side were evident.

Mr Rhys Archibald was one of the coaches during Mr Calton's tenure as manager, and he commented:

"His longevity as the 1st XV manager was a testament to his dedication, work ethic and the trust he had built with all the coaches and players he was involved with.

He built strong and trusted relationships with the players who knew how much he cared for them. Mr Calton was firm on the players and had his non-negotiables, high standards of dress and behaviour, pride in the jersey and gratitude for being a member of the 1st XV. His influence was crucial for the team’s performance and reputation, and the boys understood and respected his judgement.  

He dedicated himself tirelessly for the 1st XV. Everyone from the school, parents, players and the coaches knew how much work he did behind the scenes. Not just organising gear, travel, the shed, but also over the years, he would have fundraised hundreds of thousands for 1st XV tours to Australia and Dubai."

In more recent years, Mr Calton has been part of the coaching duo for the 4th XV. Fellow coach, the Rector, Mr Bovey, notes:

"Mr Calton has coached the 4th XV since the 2014 season. His ability to communicate clear and succinct instructions to the team has been a notable aspect of his coaching. In charge of the backs and team strategy, Mr Calton has enjoyed his time with the team, in particular the senior players who have had great camaraderie. In his time with the 4th XV, Mr Calton has led the team to three championship victories."

Mr Calton played a significant role as manager for three rugby tours to the United Kingdom. As well as helping to develop rugby players, these tours provided a unique opportunity to move young men outside of their comfort zone, provide them with unique experiences and expose them to other cultures. Mr van Stipriaan, one of the coaches involved, commented:

"Mr Calton, along with Mr Adams,  was instrumental in regenerating the 'Grand Slam' Overseas Rugby Tours.  His energy and work rate were infectious both in the lead up to the tours and while on them.  His ability to cover territory at a great rate allowed him, and the staff and students he acted as tour guides for, to tick off multiple tourist spots throughout the UK, including one memorable 32-minute jaunt through the Tower of London.  The quiet contemplation of some of history's most famous artefacts was not on the agenda - see it, take the photo, reflect later - there was too much to see and do.  The only time that rule was broken was for artwork.  Despite his 'cat on a hot tin roof' persona, he has the patience of a saint when he has his paint brushes in hand.  His artwork after the tours in particular provided the lasting memories he was after and his skill in this space is quite spectacular."

Mr Calton has an affinity for the outdoors and is a keen tramper and outdoorsman. He has had a significant role in the Year 13 Mountain Trip and Year 10 camps throughout his time at PNBHS as well as the Tama Tū Tama Ora programme that ran for several years. At a rough estimate, he has spent approximately 65 weeks on camp with groups of young men. One of his personal records that brings him the most pleasure is his feats on Mt Ruapehu.  During his time with the year 13 Mountain Trip and guiding the Monday leg of the Crest to Crest, he has summited Mt Ruapehu 38 times.  We're not sure this feat will be bettered by many.  Indeed, we believe we're likely to see him again next year as he tries to crack 40.  

In 2018 a group of Palmerston North Boys' High School students and staff completed the North Island half of the Te Araroa Trail as a fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House, another school activity that Mr Calton enthusiastically supported.

Every time a PNBHS group or team is involved in an off-site activity, something which occurs almost daily, effective health and safety and risk mitigation processes are paramount. With his considerable experience, Mr Calton has been a key cog in this system and can frequently be found discussing potential hazards and mitigations for sports and cultural group exchanges, outdoor education camps and a wide variety of field trips. His expertise and commitment to safety have been crucial in the safe completion of a significant number of the many co-curricular and extracurricular opportunities that are available to our young men. Like his other involvements, Mr Calton's contribution to the EOTC (Education Outside the Classroom) Committee has been significant.

Mr Calton is moving on to a well-deserved retirement and we wish him all the best for this. However, we will continue to see him at school assisting in a part-time capacity with the Construction programme and continuing his involvement in the outdoors and coaching his beloved 4th XV.

We thank Mr Calton for his significant contribution to our school. We know that the wide range of opportunities we provide is essential to developing the school culture that we strive for and we know that such opportunities play an important role in the growth and development of young men. Through his dedicated and hard-working approach, Mr Calton has made a significant contribution to Palmerston North Boys' High School and generations of young men. He certainly embodies our school motto: Nihil Boni Sine Labore - Nothing Achieved Without Hard Work.