Veronica Wall in action on the water in 2017. Photo supplied.The Aoraki Secondary Schools Sports Awards are set to celebrate their 20th anniversary in style in Timaru on Friday night.

Some of the winners since Waitaki Girls’ High School netballer Tara Pate – who was from Ashburton – and Waimate High School’s cyclist Heath Blackgrove took out the inaugural awards back in 1999 have gone on to do some pretty amazing things on the world stage.

There were three world champions, seven Olympians and two Commonwealth Games champions among the past winners.

Shot putter Tom Walsh from Timaru Boys’ High School took out the boys’ award in 2009 and since then has won the world indoor and outdoor titles and is an Olympic bronze medallist.

Cyclist Marc Ryan (TBHS) won the Aoraki boys’ prize in 2000 and Dylan Kennett (Waitaki Boys’) followed him more than a decade later in 2011.

They however teamed up to be team pursuit world champions.

In between Shane Archbold (Mountainview High School) took the title in 2007 and 2008 and went on to become the Commonwealth Games scratch race champion.

Cyclist Lauren Ellis (Ashburton College) also won twice at the Aoraki Schools awards and progressed to win the silver at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in the team pursuit and was also a 3-time medallist at the world championships.

Mayfield rower Emma Dyke (Craighead) was part of the women’s eight at the Rio Olympics that finished fourth.

Inaugural winner Pate also had success in her chosen sport of netball representing New Zealand at the World Youth Cup in 2000 as a defender and then made the New Zealand under 21 team to the world championships under captain Adine Harper.

In 2001, Southern Sting coach Robyn Broughton rated the Otago Rebels’ Pate as one of the best players in netball’s national league.

Representatives from 16 different sports have won over the 19 years with athletics leading the way with eight, cycling seven and rowing five.

Ashburton College leads the award winners with 10 in total (six girls, four boys) from TBHS with seven and Craighead Diocesan School with five.

Five students have won the title more than once including 400m runner Samuel Wilson (Ashburton College), cyclist Lauren Ellis (Ashburton), tennis player Emily Fanning (Craighead), clay target shooter William Rooney (TBHS) and rower Veronica Wall (Ashburton).

Wall managed to smash all sorts of records at the Maadi Cup and along with fellow 2017 winner, rugby player Cullen Grace (TBHS), looks set for big things so it will be interesting to see where their undoubted talent takes them.

By Stu Piddington © The Ashburton Guardian - 31 October 2018

Ashburton College’s Isaac Bazley looks to send the ball to the boundary during his side’s win against the Christchurch Boys’ High School 3rd XI on Saturday. Photo Robyn HoodAshburton College demolished the Christchurch Boys’ High School (CBHS) 3rd XI on Saturday to claim their first win of their Canterbury youth first XI grades cricket competition on Saturday.

The home side batted first at the Ashburton Domain and was all out for 131 off 41.4 overs, with a number of batsmen getting starts.

Liam Sullivan top scored for the Ashburton College side with a knock of 21, while Isaac Bazley was hot on his heels with 20, and Will Copland scored 14.

Ollie O’Loughlin was the main destroyer with the ball for the Christchurch side, taking 4/28.

The visitors’ reply started well, with Mackenzie Smith and Sid Mowat opening the batting and Smith top scoring with 20 and Mowat adding 10.

But, they were the only two in the side to make double figures, as the wickets kept tumbling.

CBHS went from being 41/3, to all out for 59, losing their final seven wickets for just 18 runs, giving Ashburton College a 72-run victory.

It was a good day for the Ashburton College bowlers, with Ben Middleton taking 3/5, Chris Spittal taking 2/6 and Sullivan 2/9.

It was a strong win for the College side and came a week after they were soundly beaten by St Thomas of Canterbury by nine wickets in their first outing of the season the week prior.

This weekend the Ashburton College players are away to Timaru Boys’ High School, the first of four away games on the trot for the Ashburton boys.

© The Ashburton Guardian - 30 October 2018

2018 Head Boy - Caleb LivingstoneOne by one, 15 tired, stressed, but happy students stumble into the cafe.

Joining them is their teacher, mentor and friend who is also tired and stressed. Immediately however, conversation was struck up and a whole hour was whiled away over breakfast.

This was the last proper meeting of the Ashburton College Student Exec for this year.

2018 has been a rollercoaster of a year, with seemingly more ups than downs and I personally attribute my amazing experience of this year to the 2018 Year 13 class, a year group which has become like a massive family to one another.

For me personally, I have found that within this year’s Year 13 class, there is a general feel that anyone can talk to anyone, there is always support if it’s needed and there is a motivated feeling of “let’s do this”.

At the beginning of the school year, I was finishing up on a two and a half month cultural exchange in Germany.

My peers had already completed two weeks of school by the time I returned and, to be honest with you, I was bloody nervous.

How was I supposed to step up and be a senior leader in school, when I had not even been in the country for 10 weeks?

My fears however, were put to rest the second I stepped foot on school grounds as I walked back into a group of mates who were happy, supportive and ready to tackle the year.

Now, with only three days of school left, it’s clear to see that this year’s leavers group have truly made 2018 one to remember.

A massive shoutout must be given to this year’s house captains and house execs, on whose shoulders the entire house competition stands.

Striving to win the House Cup is an essential part of of Ashburton College life, a part which creates lasting memories and develops leadership and teamwork skills.

The house leadership teams have invested so many hours into making this year memorable and enjoyable and that is exactly what they set out to do.

The other team of troopers which must also be mentioned is that group of 15 tired and stressed students I mentioned at the start; the student executive.

From dreaming up amazing initiatives such as shared morning tea, to organising an extremely successful quizco, from running various social media outlets, to making the Ashburton College Ball the amazing night it was, this year’s Student Executive have invested hundreds of volunteer hours into the students of Ashburton College.

Every 8am meeting on a Tuesday has had an atmosphere of motivation and enthusiasm and that, for me personally, has been a massive privilege to experience.

Finally, I have to mention the year group as a whole, the class of 2018, who have managed to survive five long years together.

Everyone will have their own memories and things they remember from their time at Ashburton College, but I personally will remember the what a cracker of a year it has been with this group of highly motivated, supportive and fun loving Year 13s.

Cheers guys!

By Caleb Livingstone © The Ashburton Guardian - 28 October 2018