Winter school sports heat up

SCHOOL is out of the classroom for many this week as the beast which is schools winter tournament week runs amok throughout the land.

From a rather sedate start in the late 1990s, winter schools tournament week has evolved to 82 tournaments and events taking place from Whangarei to Invercargill, involving about 25,000 pupils.

New Zealand Secondary Schools Sports Council chief executive Garry Carnachan said the tournament week was first set up to bring some alignment to tournaments around the country.

It was not just about elite competitions, as there was just as much emphasis on getting involved and having fun. There was also a tournament week in summer which was also gaining in popularity.

As new sports emerged, championships were set up, with competitors taking part in a rock climbing championships this week.

Three new basketball tournaments had been added this year to reflect the popularity of that sport.

Carnachan said the old scheme of players staying at host families throughout the week was not used much any more, mainly because many hosting players were away at their own tournament. The tournament week was a bonus for accommodation providers and rental van companies throughout the nation as teams tripped around the country.

He said the council kept an eye on costs to make sure tournament organisers did not make too much money out of events.

The biggest tournament across the country was the northern North Island netball championships which attracted about 120 teams, involving up to 1600 pupils.

The south is hosting plenty of tournaments this week. One of the biggest will be the South Island secondary schools netball tournament, which will take place at the Edgar Centre.

There are more than 60 teams involved, playing in three grades, and the finals are set to be played on Thursday afternoon.

More than 20 hockey tournaments are being played right across the country.

PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH Battle for the ball . . . Beth Scott, of Menzies College, looks to catch the ball ahead of Olivia Gray, of Queen’s HIgh School, in a netball match at the Edgar Centre yesterday.

PHOTOS: SHARON REECE, PETER MCINTOSH Incoming . . . James Hargest College pupil Michael Bardwell takes a corner kick against South Otago High School in a football match in Invercargill yesterday. Below: On the ice . . . Hayden Boul, of Christchurch Boys’ High School (left) and Rohan Key, of Wakatipu High School, do battle in an ice hockey game at Dunedin Ice Stadium yesterday.

PHOTO: HAMISH MACLEAN Southern pride . . . Gore High School’s Andrew Allan blows past St Peter’s College defenders as the Gore schools clash in a hockey match at Oamaru yesterday.

PHOTO: TRACEY ROXBURGH Through the gap . . . Ashburton College’s Thomas Patterson spots a gap in an under15 rugby match against Wakatipu High School at Queenstown yesterday.