After an early start last Wednesday morning, 28 students loaded their gear into 3 vans and we hit the road for Waiau/Tuatapere arriving at 11am, bang on time for the opening ceremony where the Squidgames commenced.  This was followed by Waiau’s Miss Area Schools' Tournament and some questionable dancing from Roxburgh and Lawrence, finishing with a haka from Twizel. We assumed they spent too much time practising sport and not enough time practising a skit, as we discovered in the final results!

No time to rest, the boys' netball team headed straight onto the courts and made it to the semis placing 3rd while the girls went to basketball and a couple of students headed off to target shooting. 

After a refuel in our home room, it was 4pm and time to get back out there for volleyball, ki-o-rahi and indoor sports.  

Home time was a relief and a mystery as billets started to arrive to collect their new kids for the next two nights. Come Friday Astrid & Liv still had no idea where their house was, Harper learnt how to trade silver and our farmer boys begrudgingly had to leave their Tractor & Dodge RAM heaven. The hosts were fantastic, coming along to support the kids at their games and cheering from the sidelines at the rugby trial. Not to mention the late night pick up from the social which was held at the RSA with the fire brigade as bouncers. It was a night to remember for Fiona, Ange and Nat as they watched six area schools stand in separate corners until 20 minutes to go. 

Thursday was a biggie with girls' netball, mixed football (where we went to a final and came second), boys' basketball, squash and a quiz! If only we had our own squash court as Liam and Clark discovered a new talent smashing a small black ball in a concrete box.

Friday brought a memorable 2024 Area Schools Tournament to an end with our hockey team placing 3rd, some learning badminton on the spot, playing pool and claybird shooting. 

The closing ceremony celebrated students who had been selected for the South of the South team which heads to nationals in July, and the Fair Play awards. The ceremony ended with a combined Area School Haka performed to the whānau, teachers and volunteers who combined to make the tournament the success it was.  

Results for Catlins:

Claybird Shooting - 1st place

Nationals Selection:

Blake Affleck - Rugby, Football | Amelia Morrison -  Netball, Football | Ezekiel Lealaava - Rugby | Mausamoa Fatialofa - Rugby | Jethro Melville - Basketball, Volleyball

Fair Play Awards:

Liv Harrex & Clark Napier

A note to our whānau & wider community:

2025 Area Schools Tournament will be hosted by The Catlins Area School next May. This is a massive three days for our school and community. We will be soon reaching out to gauge interest from anyone who is willing to help. Whether it’s billeting students, making food, reffing a game or any other ideas you may have! So keep your eyes peeled for information in the coming months!

Nat Harrex - Sports Co-ordinator