There are a number of events coming up in the next couple of months so some news about them to begin with...
Annual General Meeting
This event is to be held in the TBC Staffroom on Monday, August 6th beginning at 7.30 p.m. As has become tradition a nomination of Life Membership to someone who has contributed significantly to the school will be made and this year it is long-time staff member Graeme Anderson.
Auckland Function
A date of August 22nd has been set for this annual get together with the venue this year being the Brewery Bar at Britomart from 5 p.m. Principal Robert Mangan, Development Officer Scott Wikohika, Wayne Merritt and I will be there so place this date in your diaries and come along for a good night out.
Annual Dinner
This prestigious event will recognize Bryan Gould as our Old Boy of the Year and we have just secured Jeremy Redmore as our Guest Speaker. Jeremy is the lead singer of 2011 Band of the Year Midnight Youth and has a very interesting story to tell.
Tickets will be limited to 200 so get this date in your diaries now & start organizing your table for what will be a great night.
Sports Day
This year's sports day will once again see teams of old boys head out on to the fields, turf, and courts to take on the various college senior teams in the hope of victory or at the very least maintaining some form of dignity.
Games are this year being held on a Friday afternoon so that students can come and watch the matches as they are leaving school for the day. Should make for a great atmosphere!
TBC Academic
University Passes
For a number of years now our Senior students have had the opportunity to sit Stage One University papers and results from the first semester have just been made available. Papers in Economics, Computer Programming, Philosophy & Chemistry are offered by the University of Waikato and Statistics by the University of Auckland. In all 20 students achieved 18 A+, 10A & 10 A-. Individuals performing outstandingly were Matthew Helem whose A+ in Economics placed him top of 400 Year 1 students –there were 4 other TBC students in the top 10. In Computing Matthew Knox was top student with 102% (don’t ask me!!) while in Chemistry Liam Kampshof placed 2nd. These outstanding results auger well as out students prepare for Scholarship exams at the end of the year.
Food Technology
TBC students have regularly featured as place getters in the annual Secondary School Burger competition and this year is no exception. In the recently completed Waikato regionals Caleb Simmons took out the top prize in the Senior Division while Conlon Haseley won at the Junior level. They are now preparing for the national finals in Auckland later in the year.
Scholars Assembly
The last day of Term 2 saw those who had gained Scholarship in 2011 return for this Assembly where their achievements were recognized. The group of 25 (including 6 Year 12s) had gained 43 Scholarships and were addressed by 1985 Dux Tony Lamberton with his inspirational story.
Old Boys Sport
Olympics
The Games of 2012 have just begun and to have 7 of our Old Boys competing in the 30th Olympiad is a fantastic effort. Brent Newdick (decathlon) was the last named in the 185 strong team following on from Mahe Drysdale (rowing), Peter Burling & Jason Saunders (sailing), Andy Hayward (hockey), Kurt Pickard (BMX cycling) & Mike Dawson (canoe slalom). As well as these athletes Craig Gribble, who has umpired test hockey, is Umpires Manager for the Men’s tournament at the Games. We wish them all well in their competitions.
Cricket
After an unsuccessful start to their West Indies tour Kane Williamson & Daniel Flynn will be looking to turn around the fortunes of the BlackCaps in the 2 test series which has just begun. From there the team flies to India for a 2 test series later in August. Meanwhile Sean Davey & Joe Carter have left as part of the New Zealand Under 19 side to compete at the World Cup in Queensland.
Rugby
Nathan Harris joined a long line of recent Old Boys to graduate to the New Zealand Under 20 rugby side which was beaten in the final of the World Cup in South Africa. He changed from #8 to hooker when Sam Kane & Carl Axtens arrived at TBC from Reporoa and has thrived in his new position.
Cross Country
Several Old Boys have recently distinguished themselves running in the North Island Championships held at Taupo. Glenn Hughes (6th), Kyle MacDonald (11th), Angus Bell (15th) & Iain MacDonald (17th) all performed well in the lead up to Nationals which are to be held in Hamilton in early August. Glenn’s performances have earned him a place in the New Zealand team to contest the World Mountain Running Championships in Italy in September.
Old Boys Arts
Exhibition
Local artist John Roy completed a 3 month residency in Tylee Cottage, Wanganui in 2011 and the Sarjeant Gallery there has an exbition of ceramics and drawings created then called Bending Hammers. It runs until August 12th.
Music
Midnight Youth with Old Boy Jeremy Redmore lead singer have recently returned from a 15 gig overseas tour which included England, Holland, Germany, the United States and Singapore. The band is having a break at present which means Jeremy is heading into Neil Finn’s Auckland studio to record some of his own work.
Television
Adventurous Old Boy Jamie Fitzgerald is appearing on our TV screens in the next month alongside his trans-Atlantic rowing & Antarctic exploring buddy Kevin Biggar in a show called First Crossings. The pair re-create the journeys of a number of historical Kiwi firsts using the technology, clothing & food of the time.
TBC Sport
Rugby
The season is now coming to a climax with the last Super 8 matches in the coming weeks. Wins over Palmerston North BHS, Gisborne BHS & New Plymouth BHS to date have the Jason Spice coached team mid-table and the form looks good for the future as a large number of this team will return in 2013.
Cross Country
The recent National Championships saw TBC again ranked in the top 3 schools in the country. Star individual performances were Daniel Hintz winning the Junior boys title while Michael Sutton was runner-up in the Senior division.
Football
The first XI has had an impressive season to date qualifying for the top 16 at Nationals in Nelson with wins over St.Peters, Cambridge HS, Rotoua BHS, and Hamilton BHS with a game to play. In Super 8 at New Plymouth the team went through pool play unbeaten with victories over Napier, Gisborne & Palmerston North. In the semifinal Hastings BHS were beaten 4-3 and then the 1sts came up against PNBHS again in the final. This time the 2 sides battled out a 2 all draw before Palmerston took the title out in a penalty shoot out. Football is the most popular sport in the school fielding 15 teams in the 2012 season.
Hockey
The first XI won the Kiwifruit Cup for the 1st round of the Senior Men’s competition and this week beat King’s College 4-2 who were Rankin Cup champions last year. Their Super 8 competition is to be held on the TBC Turf from August to so come along to see some great secondary school hockey.
The 2nd XI is building towards their tournament with their best result probably their victory over the Bethlehem College 1st XI.
Basketball
With new staff member Murray Clarke taking the coaching reins in 2012 the basketball side has had some very good results. Murray played for the Otago Nuggets for a number of seasons and the lads have responded well to him remaining unbeaten against all the local schools and only losing twice to the men’s teams. Their Super 8 is at TBC the same time as the hockey and then the focus will be on qualifying for Nationals.
Squash
The joint development of the Dame Susan Devoy Squash Centre on the Hostel Block with the Tauranga Squash Club has seen the sport flourish in the school with over 60 students playing. Ben Grindrod has been selected in the NZ Junior squad which will compete in the Junior World Champs at Doha. At the BOP Champs 2 TBC teams contested the final while in the individual championship Alex Oakley defeated Joe Lyons in a 3-1 victory. Now the team is looking to lift for the Nationals which are to be held in Tauranga in August.
Surfing
Top surfers Mac Christie (Under 18) & Jordan Griffin (Under 16) travelled to Panama as part of the NZ Scholastic surf team in April. Contestants came from 31 different countries with Jordan finishing 33rd & Mac 29th out of 120 competitors.
Winter Tournament Week
There are 12 different teams heading off around the country for this important range of competitions the first week of September and I will send out a short note with respective venues nearer the time. I know that the boys appreciate the support of Old Boys who are able to get along and see them play.
TBC Arts
Production
The 2012 TBC/TGC show is Sweeney Todd and playing at BayCourt with Jaden McLeod in the leading role. Jaden’s singing and acting are both superb (takes after Dad Ewan who was a long-serving staff member now teaching at TGC) and he is backed up by a very strong supporting cast. The set and costumes are also most impressive giving the C19th London musical a very realistic feel.
Barbershop
This aspect of our programme has developed significantly in the past couple of years and in 2012 34 boys travelled to Hamilton for the regional finals. Both the large chorale and one of our quartets placed second in this competition which means they will travel to Nationals in September.
Haka
The annual TBC interhouse haka contest was held the last week of term with Hillary House victorious. This competition involves the whole House performing the school haka in front of the rest of the school and 3 external judges who this year were Wiparata Ngatoko, Rikirau Luttenberger & Te Kuka Tukaokao. With the school today numbering over 1800 boys we have 6 different houses which compete across a range of disciplines across the school year - athletics, cross country, swimming, haka, talent quest, academic, community service, erg rowing and so on. The respective Houses are named after significant New Zealanders including Rutherford & Freyberg retained from earlier times but today joined by Hillary, Ngata, Ngarimu & Halberg.
Another busy term has started well and I look forward to further successes for our Old Boys & the school. If you have any news to share please let me know so that it can be included at a later date.
All the best for now,
Rob Leslie (Old Boys Co-ordinator)
