Heavy sport investment

OVERSEER: Wanganui Collegiate School head director of sport Barry Touzel will oversee the newly-created sporting programme. PHOTO/Stuart Munro

Wanganui Collegiate's heavy investement in sport at the school is already beginning to pay dividends.

Head director of sport Barry Touzel said last year the board of trustees voted to invest heavily into sport which was an integural part of delivering the school's "whole being" philosophy.

"Sport is compulsory at Collegiate and students must take part in at least one summer sport and one winter," Touzel said.

"With an average of students taking part in 2.6 sports each they embrace it."

The newly-created sport programme involved appointing directors of sport to lead six traditional codes.

The new directors are:
· Rugby, Guy Lennox
· Hockey, Anna Symes
· Netball, Nicole Dryden
· Cricket, Warren Marr
· Rowing, David Lindstrum
· Athletics, Alec McNab.

Obviously McNab is not new and is now in his 44th year at Collegiate and still getting top results.

"These are highly-skilled, high-qualified people who have proven track records in their respective sport."

Their role will be to guide, mentor, coach and direct a path each sport will take to produce the best results.

"Some will lend their talents to coaching and some will act as technical directors and we are seeing the benefits already," Touzel said.

"The netball girls are in the top eight of North Island secondary schools, a position we have not enjoyed since (Silver Fern) Jolene Henry was captain 16 years ago.
"Our cricketers had some notable victories including a win over Hutt Valley International who are holders of what used to be the Gillette Cup. The rugby team finished 6 of 9 in the Central North Island competition and athletics continues to produce superb results and our rowers performed well at the Maadi Cup.

"We are predicting further improvement in each code as the seasons role round," Touzel said.