Hi everyone,
I’m getting 8 hours of light (there hasn’t been much sunshine yet) from the depths of a Scottish winter visiting family and friends so this edition is going to be relatively brief ……!!
Firstly, the events which are coming up early in the New Year:
OLD BOY EVENTS
London Function
The venue is booked and the date set for our first function in London for some time.
The Spread Eagle in Camden Town (141 Albert Street, NW1) will host us from 5pm on Saturday January 9th, with the first drink on TBC and some finger food provided. Spread the word to your TBC mates across the UK and get together for some great reminiscences. Please drop me an email onThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to RSVP. At this stage it seems as though we will be at least 20 but the more the merrier! Blackstick Andy Hayward is one of the first to say he is a starter and new England 7s rep & Cranbrook Gappie Ruaridh McConnochie is likely to be on deck too!
Old Boys Cricket
The Old Boys matches will be a little later this year with a date set for Sunday February 7th again at Matapihi. A long weekend and again the opportunity to test those reflexes and catch up with some of your old team mates. Same format as previously with a BBQ lunch (Max Heimann back on the tongs in 2016)served between two T20 matches. Let me know if you are in! Last year several played golf on Saturday as well and that would be an option again. With the long weekend that could also be played on Monday.
TBC Academic
Final university results have come through for papers sat by TBC students, with 8 students passing chemistry stage 1 and 10 physics stage 1 at the University of Waikato. There were 3 A+ passes in each subject with Liam Ransley and James Opie getting one in each subject.
For three years now Principal Robert Mangan has recognized all of our Junior students who have had an excellent behavior record as well as attendance through the year by presenting them with a certificate recognizing their achievement. In 2013 140 Year 9s were so recognized and 126 Year 10s. Last year the figures were 210 at Year 9 and 118 at Year 10. It was fantastic and quite a long assembly to see 255 Year 9s and 211 Year 10s stepping up to the mark as good men in 2015.
TBC Sport
Athletics
Around 20 TBC athletes headed south to Timaru the first week of December for the NZSS National Champs. Our Junior road racers were the stars coming back with gold medals in both the 3 man and 6 man events . Other medalists were Daniel Hintz who took bronze in the Senior 800m. and Thomas Rawstron who was 3rd in the Senior boys long jump. Ethan Holman also performed strongly placing 4thin both the 100 & 200m.
Cricket
With half the season completed both of the 1st and 2nd XIs have performed well against adult opposition. They both lie 4th in their respective competitions approaching the middle of the season. For the 2015/16 season Staff member and long serving ND cricketer Mark Orchard has stood down as coach with Old Boys Charles Williams and Tim Clarke who are both staff members taking over the reins. Staff member Neil Howard has been mentoring the 2nd XI where he plays alongside his son Bradley.
Volleyball
Four Junior volleyball teams contested the BOP Secondary School Champs and the Year 10 A side were beaten by Western Heights in the final while the Year 10 Bs were placed 7th. At the North Island championships the team was beaten by eventual champions Orewa College in the semifinal beforebeating Rangitoto College for the bronze medal.
Beach Volleyball
TBC had 6 teams in the quarter finals of the BOP champs and then 3 out of 4 in the semis. TBC ended placing 1st , 2nd & 3rd with the pair of Maka Ahio & Shi Jie Yong the victors.
Tennis
In the third year of the Junior quadrangular tournament played between Napier, New Plymouth, Palmerston North and Tauranga the 5 man TBC team emerged victorious. A count back victory on sets against Palmerston North BHS coached by ex-TBC staff member Hamish Forbes ensured victory as both Napier and New Plymouth were easily accounted for in the round robin competition.
NZSS Softball
Our Junior softballers performed well at Nationals with a 5win/3 loss record which was impressive as the team included a number of inexperienced players.
Mountain Biking
Our mountain bikers have enjoyed a most successful year and were awarded top NZ school at Nationals. There were outstanding performances from top Senior riders Tristan Haycock and Harrison Mudgway however it has been the growth of depth of the sport at the Junior level which has led to overall success.
Old Boys Sport
Bay of Plenty Sports Awards
BOP Sportsman of the Year was awarded to Kane Williamson for his sensational year of cricket in all 3 disciplines. He had competition from three other TBC Old Boys in International Sailor of the Year Peter Burling, All Black & world cup winner Sam Kane and Adam Ling from the hugely successful NZ rowing squad.
Aidan Ross was named Junior Sportsman of the Year on the strength of his fine performances with the Under 21 Rugby side while Dan Munro & Luke Robinson (C2 kayakers) won the Junior teams award.Rob Sperling (Canoe Slalom) and Gill Gemming (Hockey) were both recognized for their service to sport.
Cricket
TBC Old Boys continue to make their mark on the cricket scene with success at regional, national and international level. The BOP rep side, which has regularly contained 10 of our Old Boys, has succeeded in winning the right to challenge for the prestigious Hawke Cup – the symbol of minor associations supremacy – by being top within Northern Districts.
In the last week Bharat Popli has scored his first first class century against the Auckland Aces. This was playing under skipper Dan Flynn and alongside Joe Carter and Brett Hampton who are all Old Boys too.
In the Northern Districts A side Tom Clout and Sean Davey have been significant contributors in leading the pace attack.
Lastly, but by no means least, Kane Williamson continues to excel – now ranked best test batsman in the world – having just achieved the significant feat of scoring 1000 test runs in a calendar year. He has also recently captained the side to one day and T20 wins over Sri Lanka.
I hope you all had a great Christmas and hope to be able to catch up with a good number of you in the New Year.
Rob Leslie on behalf of the TBCOBA Committee
