WINNERS: The Te Kuiti High School junior girls’ volleyball team which took out their grade, back from left, Andrea Hughes-Faiao, Jaydah Cations, Maddy Fataaiki, Syreenity Tupu-Heke, John Hunt (coach), front, Trinece Hughes, Francise Laranjo and Nikia-Rose Harris. PHOTO JORDAN BRIGHT
A GROUP of nine Te Kūiti High School volleyballers punched well above their weight in their Waikato Junior Secondary Schools Volleyball Competition recently. Played at the Peak in Rototuna and Hillcrest High School, the seven-week competition was one the nine person team excelled in. Andrea Hughes-Faiao, Jaydah Cations, Maddy Fataaiki, Syreenity Tupu-Heke, Trinece Hughes, Nikia-Rose Harris, Francise Laranjo, Kaiana Hemana and Autymn Wade were all part of the team coached by John Hunt. All up the girls played and won all 13 games across a seven-week window to comfortably win the title, including their final, which featured six of the nine girls’ due to injury and other commitments. Coach Hunt, who has taken numerous volleyball teams over the years, said the team produced some fantastic performances. “There were many highlights. “Obviously, the girls winning the division was one. We always trained hard and wanted to put ourselves in a position to win. The highlight for me personally was the confidence they developed from their commitment to training as well as the camaraderie they had for each other and love for the game.” Fantastic style He said they also played a fantastic style of volleyball. “This team was put together this year, but it was not like we were starting from scratch. We had a good mix of girls that had played before and girls who were playing for the first time in a competition.” The first couple of weeks saw a combined division three and four pool before they split and Te Kūiti High’s hot form saw them in the higher division, where they won all of their matches on their way to the crown. Hunt said it’s a sport which is gaining more and more popularity at the school. “It is played out on the fields at lunch times, and we always send teams away to King Country champs. “We have a real opportunity with the new gym nearing completion to increase the sports profile and engage more students to play competitively in Waikato competitions and hopefully beyond. “A real hallmark of this team was their commitment to each other. Every one of them had significant moments during the season when they contributed in matches,” he said. “Given the solidarity in the group and effort they all put into train and play, it is almost impossible for me to single any player out as they all did so well as a team.” He hopes all of them will be back next season, whether it’s to represent the junior side again or play for a senior side, there’s plenty of talent and look out fellow King Country schools if they do, Te Kūiti could take some beating.
