School soars even higher in volleyball

REPRESENT: Western Heights High School students have been picked to represent New Zealand age group sides. Pictured (clockwise from left): Billy Johnstone, 15, Kuratea Broughton, 16, Saxon Trow, 16, Daniel Michael, 16, Max Hale, 15, and Jodi Stevens, 15. PHOTO/BEN FRASER

Every lunchtime Billy Johnstone heads for the gymnasium at Western Heights High School for a game of volleyball.

It is simply a tradition.

And every day he is joined by a large number of other keen volleyball players, most of whom were introduced to the sport on arriving at Western Heights.

Billy, 15, said since he started at Western Heights in Year 9, volleyball had always been a big part of school life.

"It is part of the school culture really, and I have always been apart of it. It is a tradition," he said. "Every single lunch we come and play. I have never missed one yet ... unless I am studying."

The volleyball culture within the school has led to some remarkable results.

Western Heights recently had nine players selected for New Zealand age group teams to play all over the world.

They also won their 10th national senior secondary schools boys' title in March in Palmerston North.

Billy was one of the nine players in the school selected to represent New Zealand and said it was a huge honour. He will be heading to Thailand with the New Zealand under-17 team in July.

"This is my first time in a New Zealand team," he said. "I just want to learn to play against harder competition and get more exposure overseas and have a good time."

Billy is only in Year 11 but was part of the senior A team which won the nationals in Palmerston North in March.

He said while it was a great honour being selected for New Zealand, his highest achievement would have to be winning that national title with his mates.

Billy said every day while playing or training you would look at the national titles hanging on the gymnasium wall, dating back to the 1980s.

"Every day you would look up at that wall and see the banners up there and work real hard to get one."

The players selected for New Zealand teams will travel to different tournaments across the world including Thailand, Australia and the US.

Two Whakatane High School boys have also been successful in their bid to represent New Zealand.

Sam Holani will go to Iowa in the United States as part of the New Zealand under-19 squad, and Jaryn Rutene to Canberra, Australia as part of the New Zealand under-19 Development team.