Figure 1.--
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Figure 1.-- |
New Zealanders love their sport. There are few countries in which sport is more popular than in New Zealand. Rugby of course has pride of place, but schools offer widely varried sport opportunities. Most schools have sports programs that encourage participation by as many students as possible rather than for a small number of the most talented. We have sought in these pages to show New Zealand students engaged in informal games or at practices rather than formal inter-school games. This is what the children look like on normal school days as they enjoy their sport.
Most secondary schools have athletics programs with the major track and field events.
The cross country was fun but for some people it was a killer. My friends and I walked it. Layne Green won. At the start everyone began well but after a while you were puffed.
Richard Dalzell R11
I was amongst the fifty girls running the cross country. I ran to Victoria park without stopping then that slowed me down for the next kilometre. It was a really long run that seemed to go on forever. I managed to pass quite a few Y8 boys and a lot of Y7 boys passed me. By Dixon Park my legs were like jelly.
Aasta Sturm R11
Biking is not a major sport in New Zealand. Many New Zealand students, however, are interested in biking, in part because so many bike to school. While this has declined in recent years, there are still quite a number of New Zealand students that bike to school.
The English origins of many New Zealanders are displayed by the popularity of cricket.
While Rugby is by far the most popular sport, there are also many avid football enthusiasts. Unlike most of the rest of the world, New Zealanders like Americans, call football soccer.
New Zealand girls do not play basketball like the boys. Rather they play netball--a basketball-like sport imported from Britain. The principle difference is there is no dribling.
Rowing is not pursued at all New Zealand secoindary schools. But many schools have small programs with enthusiastic rowers.
Rugby is clearly the most popular sport in New Zealand. Boys of all ages play it and in recent years even a few girls have all taken it up. Very few topics so dominate student conversation, especially before a big game.
Softball was introduced to New Zealand by American servicemen during World War II. It is not one of the major New Zealand sports. Nothing really can compete with Rugby, but it is one of the many sports New Zealand youngsters enjoy.
Once again the Junior High teams competed well and held their heads high against much bigger schools that have weekly sports sessions amongst themselves. Our teams looked smart, behaved well and were in Fair Play consideration in all areas. The trip was rounded off with a QEII swim, a movie, The Wild Wild West (not great according to the 30 critics ) and the normal mall crawl and McDonalds.
Greymouth Junior Highschool
