Coach big hit with Te Wharau

Showing how they felt at the end of the training session were, back (from left): teacher Kim Perano, All Whites coach Fritz Schmid, competition winner Teresa Phillips and Te Wharau United coach Paulus McKinnon. Middle: Calum Anderson, Steven Cossgrove-Waugh, Benny McKinnon, Korbin Wigglesworth, Lachlan Phillips-Crane, Te Kani Wirepa-Hei, Ezequiel Ribeiro and Cobe Donnelly. Front: Jack Holden, Calvin Braybrook and Archie McKinnon. Picture by Katy Wallace

All Whites coach Fritz Schmid took Te Wharau School’s Year 5/6 football team for a training session on Thursday, courtesy of an online competition.

Teresa Phillips, a Te Wharau pupil’s mother, put her son’s team, Te Wharau United, in the mix for the prize.

She was at Watson Park during the football season when local representatives of Central Football were handing out free Milo drinks.

She learned about a Milo competition in which the prize was a coaching session by the All Whites coach.

“All you had to do was enter online for the chance to win,” Teresa said.

“I have four kids who all play but when I entered Lachlan’s name he said, ‘Mum, stop . . . no more,’ and would you believe it, we won.”

Teresa and other parents were at the school watching Schmid put on a session that the players — and their parents — thoroughly enjoyed.