Ruakura student Brooke Mitchell has been selected for the NZ Rugby Secondary School Boys Team. Photo / Andrew Warner
Ruakura student Brooke Mitchell has been selected for the NZ Rugby Secondary School Boys Team. Photo / Andrew Warner
Hakinakina community news is a weekly update on our local community sports and athletes.
OPINION:
It has been a great week to celebrate and recognise some amazing secondary school athletes as they pursue their sporting dreams.
The NZ Rugby Secondary School Boys Team was named last week with Ruakura studentsBrooke Mitchell and Jai Tamati making selection.
Jai's work ethic and skills within the Champion Super 8 and Chiefs development side have seen his talents recognised at the national level, while Brooke's determination and leadership qualities are beyond his tender years and I suggest may not be limited to this recent recognition.
NZ Rugby also announced its Māori U18 squad which included another Ruakura student, Te Hamana Te Aute. This further enhances the school's reputation in developing players under the watchful and acute rugby eye of principal Chris Grinter.
Jai Tamati. Photo / Supplied
Te Hamana Te Aute. Photo / Supplied
Meanwhile, Pipi Uhl, from Rotorua Lakes High School, has just returned from the NZ Secondary Schools Whitewater Kayaking Championships with some extra baggage - three national trophies to her name.
In her U18 category, she was first in the K1, Downriver and Extreme Slalom. She was named the top overall girl paddler of the New Zealand championships.
It comes after she competed in two international tournaments.
At the Junior World champs in Italy this year she placed 34th in the canoe slalom and 28th in the extreme slalom event.
She also made her senior debut at the world championships in Augsburg, Germany, where she was the youngest athlete and placed 57th.
Pipi Uhl is a kayaker from Rotorua Lakes High School. Photo / Supplied
Pipi's mum, Sarah, has forged an amazing career in the whitewater at national and international rafting champs and it is great to see her legacy continue with Pipi.
Rotorua is an amazing playground for our kayaking and rafting athletes featuring the Tarawera and Kaituna rivers, and the Okere Falls.
Geyser Sports and Culture Club continued its evolving contribution to our community sporting event development by hosting the Geyser Hei Matua Trophy Cricket Tournament in Rotorua over the weekend.
This pre-season tournament is an invitational T20 event targeting development and pathway creation for high school-age players.
The event was affected by rain but it came down to two teams: hosts Geyser Mavericks and the Bay of Plenty cricketing powerhouse of Tauranga Boys College.
Geyser Mavericks and Tauranga Boys College players at the Geyser Hei Matua Trophy Cricket Tournament. Photo / Supplied
The visitors proved too strong for our local players across the two-game series but there were some notable performances from Riley Kusabs (42 runs), Yevin Kannangara (3 for 17 off 3 overs), Cohen Stewart* (2 for 20 off 6 overs, 4 catches) and the entertainer, Byron Van de Maat, with 2 cameo innings of 21 and 19 including two massive sixes into the Utuhina Stream.
