Mr. Bruce Kensington - Thank You and Farewell
Mr Bruce Kensington’s family association with Palmerston North Boys’ High School has been a long one. His grandfather Harold Kerr attended from 1909 – 1913, his father Noel attended from 1945 – 1948, Mr. Kensington himself was a student here from 1974 – 1978 and his two sons Michael (2004 – 2008) and Thomas (2007 – 2011) are also both Old Boys.
Mr. Kensington joined the PNBHS Mathematics department in January 2006 and completed the year before resigning to rejoin the Palmerston North Police. This proved to be a short-lived exit, and he returned to PNBHS and the Mathematics department in April 2007 and has remained here since. Mr. Kensington has a very positive and relational approach to his teaching and has worked hard to help the young men in his classes achieve the best results they can. He is also incredibly organised, another trait that his students have benefitted from.
In January 2008, alongside his teaching duties, Mr. Kensington was appointed as Year 8 Dean, responsible for liaising with our contributing schools. He was appointed as Year 10 Dean in 2010, Year 11 Dean in 2015 and has been Year 13 Dean since January 2017. He has also been the Sports Dean with responsibility for monitoring the engagement and attendance of young men in ‘first teams’. Mr. Kensington has excelled in all of these roles with his concern for young men’s wellbeing obvious.
A core role of the Year 13 Deans is the organisation and leadership of the annual Mountain Trip. Organising and supervising 200 young men and 25 staff for a week in a challenging alpine environment is a significant task. This is an important role that Mr. Kensington has undertaken with both enthusiasm and efficiency. He has also been involved with the Year 10 Outdoor Education programme throughout his time at PNBHS.
The Kensington family have a strong record as tennis players. Mr. Kensington’s father was the PNBHS Tennis champion in 1948, Mr. Kensington was the school Tennis champion from 1976 – 1978 and his oldest son Michael was the school tennis champion in 2008. Mr. Kensington coached and managed junior Tennis teams for many years and was the coach of the PNBHS Senior A Tennis team in 2008, a significant time commitment.
Looking for a new challenge, Mr. Kensington joined the staff at College House in January 2018. Since then, he has fully immersed himself in Murray Club with his strong relational skills in working with young men and their whānau coming to the fore.
Despite these important contributions, it is perhaps his involvement with Hockey that will be Mr. Kensington’s greatest legacy at Palmy Boys’. 1st XI Hockey Manager Mr. Davidson notes:
“He began coaching the 1st XI Hockey Team in 2005 while attending Teacher's College. His tenure as coach lasted for eleven years, concluding after the 2015 season when he passed the role to Mr. Blanks. In 2022, Mr Kensington returned to the 1st XI as a "caretaker" coach during a transition period for the team. Over his time with the team, Mr. Kensington secured an impressive seven Super 8 titles, solidifying his status as one of the most successful coaches at PNBHS in terms of Super 8 championships.
Under Mr. Kensington's leadership, the 1st XI reached three Rankin Cup finals. Unfortunately, the team fell short in all three, losing the 2006 and 2007 finals to Auckland Grammar in penalty strokes after drawing in regulation time and narrowly losing the 2010 final to Christchurch Boys' High School by a 0-1 scoreline. Additionally, the team earned two third place finishes in 2011 and 2014. Throughout his coaching tenure, the PNBHS 1st XI was only twice ranked outside the nation's top 10.
Mr Kensington also played a crucial role in five successful international hockey tours, travelling to Australia, South Africa, Singapore/Malaysia, and the United Kingdom/Ireland twice with the team. His involvement was vital in preparing the team for the challenges of international competition. Mr. Kensington's involvement with PNBHS Hockey extended beyond the 1st XI. He was deeply engaged in coaching the Colts side and other school hockey teams, as well as contributing to the Sports Development classes.
As a proud PNBHS Old Boy, Mr. Kensington competed in two Rankin Cup finals as a student in 1977 and 1978. His passion for hockey and the school is evident in the 1st XI Hockey team's achievements. He consistently demanded excellence from his players, setting high expectations both on and off the field. Mr. Kensington's competitive spirit and passion inspired his players, and many benefited from his experience and extensive hockey knowledge. The results during his 12 years with the 1st XI speak volumes about his impact as a dedicated and passionate coach.”
Mr. Kensington’s contribution to Palmerston North Boys’ High School has been significant. Through giving his time, effort and expertise he has helped to provide opportunities for hundreds of young men. We thank him for this and wish him all the best as he relocates to the Hawke’s Bay and begins a well-deserved retirement.
