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Anthony Phelps/STUFF
Waikawa Bay School pupils and teachers celebrate a winter of success in which they won three different regional tournaments.
There must be something in the water at Waikawa Bay School as its pupils have won three competitions in quick succession.
The school has become the first in Marlborough to have a team win the Rippa Rugby Tasman Tournament, a dance troupe has won a regional Jump Jam title, and another school group has taken home a winners’ trophy from the EPro8 Challenge – an interschool science and engineering competition.
Peter Knowles, the school’s principal, said it was great that the “little ones” from the “little school” were making their mark in the region.
“Being a little school you don’t often get mentioned, so it’s good for the kids to get a bit of recognition every now and then,” he said.
Anthony Phelps/STUFF
Waikawa Bay School’s winning Rippa Rugby team, with their teacher and coach Glenn Smith, and their trophy.
Knowles said the school’s Rippa Rugby team, made up of Year 5 and 6 students, came second in a Marlborough competition to qualify for the Tasman Rippa Rugby Tournament, where they then went on to beat the best of the top of the south.
“What I’ve been told is we’re the only school from Marlborough in its history to have won it,” he said.
“It was against the top teams from Nelson, Tasman, Richmond and Motueka and that area, and our little ones won it, that’s a big thing,” he said.
Knowles said a lot of credit for the tournament success had to go to Waitohi Rugby Club who had coached and developed the school’s players from a young age.
Anthony Phelps/STUFF
The school’s Jump Jam team with teachers and choreographers Phoebe Miller, back left, and Leah Robinson, back right.
“Being out of Picton, there’s only one rugby club and that’s Waitohi.
“All of the coaches at Waitohi have worked on these kids over the years … we’re just a school team and bring them all together,” he said.
Knowles said the group that won the Jump Jam competition, comprising pupils and teachers, had worked tirelessly over the past term-and-a-half perfecting their routines for the Jump Jam dance competition, and they too came away winners on their debut.
Anthony Phelps/STUFF
Waikawa Bay’s EPro8 team completes the hat trick of tournament wins over winter.
“It’s the first time our school have entered it, and they went to the regional Marlborough competition, and won their section for the newcomers,” he said.
“The win now gives them the opportunity to travel to Christchurch to compete in the national finals in November, so we’re busily getting money together to send those kids on that.
“The two teachers and the kids have put a lot of work and effort into it, so it was great that they got the recognition they deserved,” he said.
Aiman Amerul Muner/STUFF
Pupils from South Canterbury schools participated in the Jump Jam Extravaganza on Thursday at the Southern Trust Event Centre.
And the EPro8 Challenge team capped off the hat trick, winning the Marlborough title for their age group at the interschool science and engineering competition.
“The kids have always achieved well, but it’s great that they’re getting this recognition.
“For the EPro8 team we can credit most of it to the parents for producing the type of children who can do that.”
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