RR-Handbooks-2025-Sport_ISSU by Rangi Ruru Girls' School

SPORT • HĀKINAKINA

INSPIRING OPPORTUNITY

Sport at Rangi Ruru is as much about participation and fun as it is about competition, challenge and success at the top level.

If there is one word that encapsulates sport here, it would be “opportunity”. The essence of sport in our kura is found in the opportunities which are provided for our ākonga to find their sporting north—the activity or sport which inspires them—and for them to be the very best they can be.

We have a very proud tradition of sporting excellence and participation. Our teams consistently perform highly on the local and national stage, and numerous students represent Canterbury or New Zealand. Aside from these individual and team successes, we consistently achieve participation rates that sit above 85%, indicating a tradition of not just achievement, but also involvement at all levels.

Our focus is on offering opportunities that support our students to flourish as athletes but equally, if not more importantly, as people. Our extensive network of coaches, managers and convenors are committed and passionate about supporting all our rangatahi in their sporting journeys—whatever they might be, and wherever they might go.

Whether sport is about fellowship, excellence, enjoyment or passion, sport at Rangi Ruru is about sport for life.

GWEN HARROP Director of Sport

SOME 2024 SPORT ACHIEVEMENTS

• Rowing - Maadi Regatta / NZSS Rowing: top girls’ school and top sweep school. Medalled in all eight events

• Equestrian - SISS Equestrian Champs: Supreme Champion Overall Team, Champion Dressage Team, Champion Years 7 & 8 Team and several top show jumping and individual results

• Basketball - Southern Cup Tournament: 3rd

• Cycling - South Island Road Championships: top girls’ school; Southern Tour: U20 Sprint 3rd; NZSS: U20 Team Time Trial 2nd

• Badminton – Canterbury Secondary Schools’ Badminton Championship: Doubles Runners-Up; Koru Games 1st; CAIMS 2nd.

• Hockey – Connectics SSP Hockey Championship: 1st; CAIMS 1st: Koru Games 1st

• Dragon Boating - South Island Secondary Schools Championships: 1st in the 500m; 2nd in the 1km; 2nd in the 200m races

• Football – CAIMS: 3rd

• Touch Rugby – Canterbury Super Touch Championships: 2nd

• Duathlon & Triathlon – NZSS: individual gold; SISS: individual gold; CSS: individual gold. World Sprint Duathlon & Oceania Triathlon championships: 5th

• Snow Sports – three students in NZ squads/teams

• Adventure Racing – South Island Secondary Schools’ Adventure Race Champs: 2nd overall in 6-hour Years 9-10 Category

• Tennis – National Secondary Schools’ Tennis Cup: 5th

• Volleyball – Canterbury Secondary School Senior Champs: 2nd (Div 2)

• Futsal – Canterbury Champs: 3rd, NZSS - 11th

• Athletics – South Island and NZ events: multiple top 3 placings

• Swimming – Southern Zonal Secondary School Open Water Swimming Championship Age 14-15 1.3km winner and numerous other individual titles

• NZ representatives - equestrian, water polo, duathlon/triathlon, fencing, gymnastics, BMX, orienteering, badminton, swimming, taekwondo, ice hockey, roller derby, cheerleading, rowing, snowsports

SPORT AT RANGI RURU

COACHES

Our coaches continue to be the foundation of the quality sporting programme that we offer. This is true across our Years 7 to 13 programme, with experienced coaches appointed to teams across year levels. We believe investing in our coaches allows our students to be exposed to invaluable experience which assists them with the skills, mentoring and development that they need to achieve their sporting aspirations. Our coaches include a mix of current and former New Zealand representatives, with 20 of our coaches being either current or previous regional, national or international representatives.

OUR WRAP AROUND SUPPORT & FACILITIES

Mental skills coaching is a key component of the sports programme. Students are able to have one-on-one or team sessions with coach, Paula Rule, focused on improving their growth, development and performance through understanding themselves and their environment by creating the mindset to be their best selves.

On-campus facilities including the waterbased hockey turf, hard courts, heated pool and Atawhai sport and multi-purpose centre, complete with fitness centre and on-site physio, provide opportunities for teams and individuals to train at school.

OUR ATHLETES

GRETA JENKINS

2025 HEAD OF SPORT AND STUDENT ATHLETE

WHAT SPORTS ARE YOU INVOLVED IN?

“I’ve played hockey throughout my years at Rangi Ruru and have been fortunate enough to be a member of the 2023 and 2024 1st XI hockey teams who have had back-to-back wins in the Canterbury Hockey Connetics SSP competition. I’ve also played representative hockey in 2024 and Division 1 club hockey with HSOB Burnside. Last year I also coached a junior hockey team. There are so many diverse sporting opportunities on offer at Rangi Ruru, I’ve been able to play cricket, basketball, touch and tennis as well as row for two seasons.”

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT SPORT AT RANGI RURU?

“I love the connections and genuine friendships I’ve made over the years. My sporting opportunities have enabled me to meet many amazing people who share the same strong passions as I do. This passion goes far beyond our differences and brings together a team, allowing everyone to feel a true sense of belonging. To me, sport is a unique way of bringing people together and creating a sense of community.”

HOW DOES RANGI RURU ENABLE YOU TO BE YOUR BEST IN SPORTS?

“At Rangi Ruru we are fortunate to have access to some of the best coaches available. We also have multiple staff members who generously provide coaching, support, and management of our teams. Some of our tournaments span several days and we are very grateful for the time they give. We also have fantastic facilities and access to quality equipment — our recently completed sport and multi-purpose centre, Atawhai gymnasium will help inspire the next generation of Rangi Ruru athletes. We are very grateful to our generous sponsors, and of course our parents and caregivers who make it possible for us to attend Rangi Ruru.”

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENTS?

“One of my proudest achievements was during Year 9 when the 1st XI cricket team reached the final of the Canterbury Secondary Schools’ Competition. Although we finished runners-up, we got to play on the hallowed turf at Hagley Oval. Another highlight for me was coaching the 6th XI hockey team last season with Lucy Vance. It was very rewarding watching the girls improve their skills as the season went on, but most importantly having fun as a team. Lucy and I were very proud of the team.”

SPORT AT RANGI RURU

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING

In our top-class fitness centre over 100 students each week take part in structured strength & conditioning (S&C) programmes throughout the year. S&C assists students to become stronger and helps them to be better prepared to take on the demands of their sport. While students might view their strength and conditioning sessions to be about being fitter, the true value is reflected in the reduced injury rate, particularly significant knee injuries.

REGULAR WELLNESS MONITORING

Throughout each term, our coaching and sports staff monitor how our athletes are doing. This provides opportunities for our team to initiate conversations with students who are negotiating the study/school/ sport/life balance on a weekly and sometimes daily basis.

OUR ALUMNAE

ABBEY MOODY

CLASS OF 2018 AND 2022 OUTSTANDING

SPORTSWOMAN AWARD WINNER

TELL US ABOUT YOUR SPORTING JOURNEY IN YOUR TIME AT RANGI RURU.

“In 2021, I moved to Rangi Ruru to complete my last two years of high school, knowing it would provide further opportunities in both water polo and track and field. I set myself sports and academic goals and from

WHAT WAS OR WHO WERE SIGNIFICANT IN HELPING YOU IN YOUR SPORTING JOURNEY AT RANGI RURU?

“The entire sporting department were amazing, providing support and guidance towards my aspirations. There was always someone I could reach out to. The Director of Sport, Mandy Anderson, had a significant impact on my success. Alongside being manager of the water polo team, overall, Mandy made my transition into a new school easy. My sporting journey through my last two years wasn’t a walk in the park, experiencing an injury that took me out for the last half of my final year. Paula Rule was incredible in helping me through this, for which I am extremely grateful.”

HOW WERE YOU ENABLED TO BE YOUR BEST IN YOUR SPORTS AT RANGI RURU?

“Academia has always been very important to me, but this has never been easy to balance with training and competing in two sports, especially with travelling during school time. Rangi Ruru allowed me to achieve both, the teachers helped me to excel academically while I continued my sport at a high level. I never once felt limited to what I could achieve.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS SPECIAL ABOUT SPORT AT RANGI RURU?

S.O.A.R SUPPORTING OUTSTANDING ATHLETES AT RANGI RURU

S.O.A.R (Supporting Outstanding Athletes at Rangi) is a unique sports programme aimed at enriching the experiences of athletes at Rangi Ruru. This is achieved though strengthening each athlete’s connection with self, others and community.

Connection with self is developed through fostering a strength focused approach to sport and life as well as the development of selfawareness.

Connection with others is based around the connection with people in the S.O.A.R programme. Through the sharing of experiences, participants find common ground which helps to create an environment where athletes support and learn from each other, allowing maximum growth and development.

Connection with community understanding the unique requirements of each athlete enables the program to establish connections within the Rangi Ruru and wider community. Our goal is to link athletes with individuals, opportunities, or organisations that can enhance their sporting journey.

Together with the S.O.A.R convenor, participants will create an ADP (Athlete Development Plan) which will align with their PDP (Personal Development Plan) profiles and be an evolving document throughout the year.

To ensure we are providing the best experience, athletes can select key offerings which they believe will add the most value and growth to their experience in the programme. These include, but are not limited to:

• Mental skills sessions

• 1:1 strength and conditioning consult

• Nutrition support

• Time management and organisational skills

• Wellness monitoring

• Body Balance Assessment with Balance Physio

• Sport specific mentoring

• Leadership training

• Media liaison

• Drug Free Sport NZ Education

Mā te huruhuru ka rere te manu

Adorn the bird with feathers so it may soar

SPORTS ON OFFER

Each year up to 25 different sporting options are on offer to Rangi Ruru students. In all options, ākonga can participate either on a social or a highly competitive level.

The current offerings include:

• Adventure Racing

• Athletics

• Badminton

• Basketball

• Cricket

• Cross Country

• Cycling

• Dragon Boating

• Equestrian (Polo, Show Jumping, Mounted Games, Dressage)

• Football

• Futsal

• Hockey

• Indoor Football and Netball

• Lifesaving

• Mountain Biking

• Multisport (Duathlon & Triathlon)

• Netball

• Rowing

• Rugby/Rugby 7s

• Snow Sports

• Surfing

• Swimming

• Tennis

• Touch

• Volleyball

• Water Polo

Additionally, students can represent the school at Canterbury, South Island and New Zealand secondary school events in sports which are not directly offered and will also have access to resources such as Mental Performance and Strength and Conditioning to support their sporting or physical activity aspirations.

Years 7 and 8 students have the ability to take part in many of the above weekly sport opportunities alongside students in Years 9 to 13. As members of the Canterbury Association of Intermediate and Middle Schools (CAIMS) network, Years 7 and 8 students also have the opportunity to compete against other larger intermediate schools on a weekly basis throughout Terms 2 to 4.