Latest news with #MaadiCup
1News
2 days ago
- Sport
- 1News
Ban on 'Year 14s' proposed for all school sport
The controversial practice of Year 14 students competing in secondary school sports events will be banned under proposed new eligibility rules. School Sport NZ on Wednesday released its draft eligibility rules following a lengthy review. Among the key proposed rule changes is a blanket ban on students returning for a sixth year of high school — known as year 14s — from competing in School Sport NZ sanctioned events. The year 14 issue has been the subject of debate within top-flight secondary school events for decades, with critics claiming the practice stokes a "win at all costs" attitude. The debate came to a head in high school rowing earlier this year when a group of high school principals banded together to force a vote on the eligibility rules for the Maadi Regatta. ADVERTISEMENT The schools overwhelmingly voted in favour of a rule change banning year 14 rowers from competing in the prestigious event. The issue has also been fiercely debated in rugby circles this season after RNZ revealed Marlborough Boys' College, one of the top rugby schools in the South Island, had five year 14s in its line-up this year. School Sport NZ chairperson and principal of Shirley Boys' High School Tim Grocott said it is hoped the proposed rule changes, which would also include new anti-poaching measures, would address many longstanding challenges in secondary school sport. "What we're really saying is that we're wanting greater integrity, greater fairness, and greater consistency across competitions," said Grocott. "Where that integrity piece fits really clearly is at the championship level. So at that top tier of competition, we're wanting to see as best as possible a level playing field existing." Grocott said after receiving a strong mandate from principals to change the eligibility for the Maadi Cup earlier this year, there was a push to ensure the rules were consistent across all sports. "Really what we want to do is re-emphasise that educational piece. Students are at school for their education, and the sport is a byproduct of that. ADVERTISEMENT "If people want to come back for year 14, then that's fine if it's for an educational purpose. It isn't for a sporting purpose." Marlborough Boys' College principal Jarrod Dunn told RNZ last month his school did not set out to stack its rugby team with year 14s to gain a competitive advantage. He said in previous years the school may have had "one or two" students return for year 14, but this year was an "anomaly" in that they had a large cohort of eight students return to school due to the current social climate making it difficult for young people to find employment in the region. Dunn said he did not think it was fair to deny the year 14 boys the opportunity to participate in all areas of school life. As was the case with rowing, the proposed rules would allow schools to apply for a dispensation to field a year 14 athlete where there were "valid educational grounds for a student's continued enrolment in year 14". It was understood schools would need to meet a strict set of criteria before a dispensation could be granted. Three schools applied for an exemption to field a year 14 student at this year's Maadi Regatta at Lake Kārapiro — all three were declined. ADVERTISEMENT Shirley Boys' High School headmaster Tim Grocott said the new eligibility rules are aimed at levelling the playing field in high school sport. (Source: 'Poaching' and homeschool competitor rules The proposed changes also included updated guidelines on student transfers, poaching, composite teams, and dispensations. Under the new rules, the definition of poaching was strengthened to "include any act of influencing, encouraging or approaching a student to transfer to another school for the purposes of sport participation", whether directly or indirectly through a third party. Grocott said the "new to school" rules had also been tightened to introduce a new transfer process. If a student wanted to compete in a championship level event for a new school, statutory declarations must be signed by the transferring student, their caregivers and the principal of the new school. "We're wanting to clamp down on those behaviours around influencing, encouraging, approaching, and providing inducements for students to move from one school to another," he said. "It flies in the face of that educational piece that we're wanting to see." ADVERTISEMENT However, the summary document released to principals on Tuesday did not include proposed rules for home-schooled students. Currently, School Sport NZ rules allowed students who were home-schooled to compete in secondary school events, but they were not eligible to win medals or titles. The issue was thrust into the spotlight in April this year when Tauranga mountain-biker Amelia Twiss placed second in the North Island Secondary Schools championships, but was denied a medal. "The board is still considering how best to include [home school students], and once a recommended approach is confirmed, it will be consulted on separately and incorporated into the final draft where appropriate," the document stated. The consultation period for the draft regulations would close on September 12. School Sport NZ chief executive Mike Summerell said input from schools would be critical in shaping the final version of the regulations. The new regulations would apply to all School Sport NZ-sanctioned events from January 1, 2026. ADVERTISEMENT
NZ Herald
2 days ago
- Sport
- NZ Herald
School Sport NZ proposes ban on Year 14 student athletes in competitions
The debate came to a head in high school rowing earlier this year when a group of high school principals banded together to force a vote on the eligibility rules for the Maadi Regatta. The schools overwhelmingly voted in favour of a rule change banning Year 14 rowers from competing in the prestigious event. The issue has also been fiercely debated in rugby circles this season after RNZ revealed Marlborough Boys' College, one of the top rugby schools in the South Island, had five Year 14s in its line-up this year. SSNZ chairperson and principal of Shirley Boys' High School Tim Grocott said it is hoped the proposed rule changes, which would also include new anti-poaching measures, would address many longstanding challenges in secondary school sport. 'What we're really saying is that we're wanting greater integrity, greater fairness, and greater consistency across competitions,' said Grocott. 'Where that integrity piece fits really clearly is at the championship level. So at that top tier of competition, we're wanting to see as best as possible a level playing field existing.' Tim Grocott, principal of Shirley Boys' High School, says other principals may have said "we don't think that's right" if they'd known earlier about the number of Year 14s in the Marlborough Boys' team Photo / RNZ Niva Chittock Grocott said after receiving a strong mandate from principals to change the eligibility for the Maadi Cup earlier this year, there was a push to ensure the rules were consistent across all sports. 'Really what we want to do is re-emphasise that educational piece. Students are at school for their education, and the sport is a byproduct of that. 'If people want to come back for Year 14, then that's fine if it's for an educational purpose. It isn't for a sporting purpose.' Marlborough Boys' College principal Jarrod Dunn told RNZ last month his school did not set out to stack its rugby team with Year 14s to gain a competitive advantage. He said in previous years the school may have had 'one or two' students return for Year 14, but this year is an 'anomaly' in that they had a large cohort of eight students return to school because of the current social climate making it difficult for young people to find employment in the region. Dunn said he did not think it was fair to deny the Year 14 boys the opportunity to participate in all areas of school life. As is the case with rowing, the proposed rules would allow schools to apply for a dispensation to field a Year 14 athlete where there were 'valid educational grounds for a student's continued enrolment in Year 14'. It's understood schools would need to meet a strict set of criteria before a dispensation could be granted. Three schools applied for an exemption to field a Year 14 student at this year's Maadi Regatta at Lake Kārapiro – all three were declined. 'Poaching' and home school competitor rules The proposed changes also include updated guidelines on student transfers, poaching, composite teams and dispensations. Under the new rules, the definition of poaching has been strengthened to 'include any act of influencing, encouraging or approaching a student to transfer to another school for the purposes of sport participation', whether directly or indirectly through a third party. Grocott said the 'new to school' rules have also been tightened to introduce a new transfer process. If a student wants to compete in a championship level event for a new school, statutory declarations must be signed by the transferring student, their caregivers and the principal of the new school. 'We're wanting to clamp down on those behaviours around influencing, encouraging, approaching, and providing inducements for students to move from one school to another,' he said. 'It flies in the face of that educational piece that we're wanting to see.' However, the summary document released to principals on Tuesday did not include proposed rules for home-school students. Currently, School Sport NZ rules allow students who are home-schooled to compete in secondary school events, but they are not eligible to win medals or titles. The issue was thrust into the spotlight in April this year when Tauranga mountain-biker Amelia Twiss placed second in the North Island Secondary Schools championships, but was denied a medal. 'The board is still considering how best to include [home school students], and once a recommended approach is confirmed, it will be consulted on separately and incorporated into the final draft where appropriate,' the document stated. The consultation period for the draft regulations closes on September 12. SSNZ chief executive Mike Summerell said input from schools would be critical in shaping the final version of the regulations. The new regulations would apply to all SSNZ-sanctioned events from January 1, 2026.
RNZ News
2 days ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
Blanket ban on ‘Year 14s' in school sport proposed in new eligibility rules
Marlborough Boys' College has five year 14 students in its first XV rugby team this season. Photo: Chris Symes / The controversial practice of Year 14 students competing in secondary school sports events will be banned under proposed new eligibility rules. School Sport NZ (SSNZ) on Wednesday released its draft eligibility rules following a lengthy review. Among the key proposed rule changes is a blanket ban on students returning for a sixth year of high school - known as year 14s - from competing in SSNZ sanctioned events. The year 14 issue has been the subject of debate within top-flight secondary school events for decades, with critics claiming the practice stokes a "win at all costs" attitude. The debate came to a head in high school rowing earlier this year when a group of high school principals banded together to force a vote on the eligibility rules for the Maadi Regatta. The schools overwhelmingly voted in favour of a rule change banning year 14 rowers from competing in the prestigious event. The issue has also been fiercely debated in rugby circles this season after RNZ revealed Marlborough Boys' College, one of the top rugby schools in the South Island, had five year 14s in its line-up this year . SSNZ chairperson and principal of Shirley Boys' High School Tim Grocott said it is hoped the proposed rule changes, which would also include new anti-poaching measures, would address many longstanding challenges in secondary school sport. "What we're really saying is that we're wanting greater integrity, greater fairness, and greater consistency across competitions," said Grocott. "Where that integrity piece fits really clearly is at the championship level. So at that top tier of competition, we're wanting to see as best as possible a level playing field existing." Grocott said after receiving a strong mandate from principals to change the eligibility for the Maadi Cup earlier this year, there was a push to ensure the rules were consistent across all sports. "Really what we want to do is re-emphasise that educational piece. Students are at school for their education, and the sport is a byproduct of that. "If people want to come back for year 14, then that's fine if it's for an educational purpose. It isn't for a sporting purpose." Marlborough Boys' College principal Jarrod Dunn told RNZ last month his school did not set out to stack its rugby team with year 14s to gain a competitive advantage. He said in previous years the school may have had "one or two" students return for year 14, but this year is an "anomaly" in that they had a large cohort of eight students return to school due to the current social climate making it difficult for young people to find employment in the region. Dunn said he did not think it was fair to deny the year 14 boys the opportunity to participate in all areas of school life. As is the case with rowing, the proposed rules would allow schools to apply for a dispensation to field a year 14 athlete where there were "valid educational grounds for a student's continued enrolment in year 14". It's understood schools would need to meet a strict set of criteria before a dispensation could be granted. Three schools applied for an exemption to field a year 14 student at this year's Maadi Regatta at Lake Kārapiro - all three were declined . Shirley Boys' High School headmaster Tim Grocott said the new eligibility rules are aimed at levelling the playing field in high school sport. Photo: RNZ / Niva Chittock The proposed changes also include updated guidelines on student transfers, poaching, composite teams, and dispensations. Under the new rules, the definition of poaching has been strengthened to "include any act of influencing, encouraging or approaching a student to transfer to another school for the purposes of sport participation", whether directly or indirectly through a third party. Grocott said the "new to school" rules have also been tightened to introduce a new transfer process. If a student wants to compete in a championship level event for a new school, statutory declarations must be signed by the transferring student, their caregivers and the principal of the new school. "We're wanting to clamp down on those behaviours around influencing, encouraging, approaching, and providing inducements for students to move from one school to another," he said. "It flies in the face of that educational piece that we're wanting to see." However, the summary document released to principals on Tuesday did not include proposed rules for home school students. Currently, School Sport NZ rules allow students that are home schooled to compete in secondary school events, but they are not eligible to win medals or titles. The issue was thrust into the spotlight in April this year when Tauranga mountain-biker Amelia Twiss placed second in the North Island Secondary Schools championships, but was denied a medal. "The board is still considering how best to include [home school students], and once a recommended approach is confirmed, it will be consulted on separately and incorporated into the final draft where appropriate," the document stated. The consultation period for the draft regulations closes on 12 September. SSNZ chief executive Mike Summerell said input from schools would be critical in shaping the final version of the regulations. The new regulations would apply to all SSNZ-sanctioned events from 1 January 2026. 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Otago Daily Times
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Take a bow, Marley
Queenstowner Marley King Smith was part of the winning University of Washington heavyweight coxed four at the recent US intercollegiate university champs. PHOTO: SHARRON BENNETT PHOTOGRAPHY A Queenstown rower who's competed for New Zealand in under-19 world champs for the past two years is now also a United States national university champion. Marley King Smith, 19, who's just completed his first year of a four-year rowing scholarship at the University of Washington (UW), in Seattle, was in their winning heavyweight coxed four at the recent Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) national championship regatta on Philadelphia's Cooper River. The four dominated the A final, winning in an IRA record time. Marley's dad, Bas Smith, says his son was among just three of 17 UW rowing freshmen selected for the regatta. Remarkably, he was also competing for the first time in a sweep oar boat, having come from a sculling or two-oar background — he won single sculls golds for Wakatipu High at the national secondary schools Maadi Cup regattas in '22 and '23. "On top of that," Bas says, "the race conditions were incredibly challenging due to the prevailing wind, causing significant swell and chop through the final 750 metres of the course". UW subsequently won three of their four heavyweight races — the others all being eights — to defend their national title. Commenting on Marley's performance, Bas says "we're really stoked for him, and he's doing really well academically as well".
1News
12-06-2025
- Sport
- 1News
Auckland Grammar principal calls out Sport NZ over 'Year 14' athletes
Auckland Grammar principal Tim O'Connor has challenged Sport NZ to take a stand on extra-year students returning to schools on sporting grounds. The issue of "Year 14" athletes has raised its head again, with Marlborough Boys' College admitting it had five such players in its First XV, which scored a historic – and controversial – win over Nelson College last month. That 28-26 result came after Marlborough were awarded a first-half penalty and, instead of aiming for the posts, the goalkicker struck for the corner, where one of his teammates chased it down for a try that was eventually awarded. O'Connor told RNZ that bringing students back for an extra year for sporting purposes was a distortion of their roles as educators and openly wondered where the national sporting administrators were in this debate. "Really, our role as principals and our role as schools is to educate young people," he said. "Sport NZ talks about balance is better, but where are they in this discussion? ADVERTISEMENT "They haven't come out to say, 'why are we allowing this to occur'? "I'd love to see them being more proactive and having the courage to speak up on this. "Perhaps there are organisations that want to turn a blind eye to what is the pathway for young men and rugby in this country frankly. We need to get beyond that." RNZ has approached Sport NZ for reaction to O'Connor's comments. Auckland's 1A competition has put is members on notice that Year 14 players will not be permitted from next season. O'Connor admits two of the 12 teams currently have two such players each on their rosters. "We discussed that at the beginning of the year and felt the fair thing to do was give everyone 12 months' notice, and then we wouldn't be allowing that to occur again." Earlier this year, the issue led to a ban on extra-year rowers at the prestigious Maadi Cup regatta at Lake Karapiro. ADVERTISEMENT School Sport NZ is now considering a total ban on the Year 14 athletes. "There is no doubt there is a distinct advantage – muscle co-ordination and technical ability – in a sixth-year student," O'Connor said. "They're taking away positions from students who are coming through their natural schooling years. "For example, Rieko Ioane could have returned – we could have encouraged him to return, because he would have met all the other criteria, and he could have returned to play rugby for another year, which would have been a huge advantage to our school. "Our view was Rieko should actually carry on with his life and move to the next stage, and we'd fully support him in doing so." Now an 81-test All Black, Ioane debuted for Auckland and the NZ sevens team the year after leaving Auckland Grammar, and made his test debut aged 19. O'Connor insisted his school would not take the field against Marlborough with their Year 14 players. "I don't know why there would be a reason to play them," he told RNZ. "I'd rather play in a competition where we know there is a level playing field and we're treating each other with respect. "In the 1A competition, mid-season, we have about six teams who could still win it – that's a great competition, that keeps it alive across multiple schools."
