Focus shifts to School Sports Awards

It is hard to believe we are now starting into term four which signals the return of summer sports with several of the summer sports only being able to produce a very limited competition season due to the short term and senior students only being here for three weeks this term prior to exam leave.

Our main focus this term will be the Southland Secondary Schools Sports Awards which will be held on Friday, November 3 at the Ascot Park Hotel.

The awards are an opportunity to celebrate the success of our secondary school athletes and administrators.

During 2017 there have been some outstanding achievements by our athletes not only on the New Zealand stage but also at International level.

Our guest speakers will be Wendy Frew captain of the Southern Steel and Reinga Bloxham the coach of the Southern Steel.

Another priority for term four is focusing on junior sport. On November 9 we are hosting the Junior Pathways forum.

Later on in November we will hold our annual Junior Sports Days where year 9 and 10 students are given the opportunity to choose a sporting option they have not previously tried.

We have organised to hold one day in Gore on November 15 and one in Invercargill on November 21 to cater for the geographic spread of our Southland schools.

The initiative is to introduce students to sports and activities that may be new to them and encourage them to get actively involved.

Information and entry forms can be found on www.southlandschoolsport.co.nz.

A 2018 calendar is currently being compiled and will be sent out initially to schools as a draft.

If any sports related groups wish for dates for events to be included that are applicable to secondary school students please contact us.

Fiona Ward is the Southland Secondary Schools Sports Director.