🏆 TE POU TŪ KI TE RANGI RETURNS TO ŌTC! 🏆
On Monday 17 August, Ōtūmoetai College proudly hosted Hillcrest High School for our annual Winter Sports Exchange — and there was plenty on the line!
After Hillcrest claimed the Summer Sports Exchange and took Te Pou Tū Ki Te Rangi from us for the first time, our ŌTC student-athletes were determined to bring it home.
Across a huge day of competition in badminton, basketball, football, hockey and netball, there were 16 game points up for grabs.
🔥 ŌTC stepped up to the challenge! 🔥
With some fantastic performances across all codes, ŌTC secured 10 wins to Hillcrest’s 6, reclaiming Te Pou Tū Ki Te Rangi and bringing it back home!
While the competition was fierce, the exchange is about much more than results. Our student-athletes were outstanding throughout the day, displaying great sportsmanship, school pride and respect. Even more importantly, the connection between Ōtūmoetai College and Hillcrest High School continues to grow stronger with every exchange.
A massive thank you to Hillcrest High School — your students, coaches and staff continue to make this event such a special occasion on our sporting calendar.
🏆 Winter Exchange winners: Ōtūmoetai College
💚🖤 Te Pou Tū Ki Te Rangi is HOME!
We’re already looking forward to welcoming Hillcrest back for the 2027 Summer Sports Exchange.
Ka mau te wehi, ŌTC!
🏸 PODIUM SUCCESS FOR ŌTC BADMINTON! 🏸
A fantastic day for our ŌTC Senior Badminton teams at the BOPSS Badminton Finals, with every team finishing on the podium in their respective divisions! 👏🔥
🥇 Division 3 Boys — GOLD
🥈 Division 2 Girls — SILVER
🥉 Division 3 Girls — BRONZE
🥉 Division 1 Girls — BRONZE
An amazing achievement across all four teams and a great reflection of the commitment, teamwork and effort our players have put in throughout the season.
Congratulations to all our players and coaches.🏸
Four teams. Four podium finishes. One very proud ŌTC Sport community.
🏉 THAT’S A WRAP | BARBARIANS RUGBY 2026 🏉
And just like that, the 2026 Barbarians season comes to a close. 🐏🖤
To our players — thank you for your dedication, commitment and courage throughout the season. For turning up, putting in the work, representing the jersey and standing alongside your teammates — we are incredibly proud of you.
To our coaches and managers — a massive thank you. Your unwavering belief in our young people, and the countless hours, energy and care you give behind the scenes, are what make opportunities like this possible. Our programme simply doesn’t happen without you. 👏
And to our parents, whānau and supporters — thank you for everything you do. The transport, sideline support, encouragement and commitment week after week never goes unnoticed. ❤️
A season isn’t defined simply by wins and losses. It’s defined by the relationships built, lessons learned, challenges overcome and memories created together.
For now, enjoy the break. Rest. Recover. Recharge.
Then we start building again.
The 2027 season will be here before you know it… 👀🔥
ONE CLUB. ONE CULTURE. ALL IN.
UP THE BABAS! 🐏🖤🤍
📢 ŌTC SPORT UNIFORM ORDER WINDOW IS OPEN! 🟢⚫
Represent ŌTC Sport with pride! Our ŌTC Sport uniform range is now available to order, including:
Warm-Up Tee – Short Sleeve
Warm-Up Tee – Long Sleeve
ŌTC Sport Crew Neck
These are a great option for training, travelling, supporting our teams, or simply representing ŌTC Sport beyond the sideline at school.
📅 Orders Open: 11th August
⏳ Orders Close: 13th September
📦 Estimated Delivery: 19th October
HOW TO ORDER
1️⃣ Click HERE
2️⃣ Click “MY CLUB”
3️⃣ Select the letter ‘O’
4️⃣ Find and double-click Ōtūmoetai College
5️⃣ Browse the available products and complete your order
⚠️ Don’t miss the order window — orders close 13th September.
🌟 2027 ADASTRA FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS — APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN! 🌟🏀
Are you a talented young athlete, musician or performing artist with big ambitions? The Adastra Foundation Scholarship Programme could help you take the next step.
Adastra supports exceptional young New Zealanders with scholarship funding and personal development opportunities to help them pursue their goals.
To be eligible, applicants should:
🏆 Be 16–19 years old as at 1st January 2027
📍 Represent the Waikato or Bay of Plenty region
This is a fantastic opportunity for our talented Ōtūmoetai College students to gain support as they continue to develop and perform at a high level.
📅 Applications close: 27 August 2026
🔗 Apply & find out more: www.adastra.org.nz
📧 Questions: info@adastra.org.nz
Students — back yourself and apply!
Parents, whānau, coaches and tutors — please share this with a young person who should put their name forward.
🥏 Ready to Run, Throw, and Dive? Ultimate Frisbee for Year 9 & 10!
Looking for a fast-paced, high-energy sport on Term 3 and Term 4? Whether you’re a seasoned player or have never thrown a disc in your life, Ultimate Frisbee is the place to be! It’s non-contact, beginner-friendly, and all about awesome teamwork.
• Training Starts: Wednesday, 12th August (after school on the school field) for 10 weeks
• Competition: Term 4 – BOPSS Junior Champs
• Who Can Join: Open to all Year 9 and Year 10 students
Grab your friends and come along to see what it’s all about.
👉 Got what it takes? Complete the Expression of Interest form today to secure your spot!
https://forms.gle/3p6EJJzHmb5QS8366
Got a question – chat to Mr McMahon, English Dept.
🏐 TERM 4 GIRLS VOLLEYBALL 🏐
We’re looking for girls interested in playing Volleyball during Term 4! Whether you’re an experienced player or new to the sport, we’d love to hear from you. 💪🏐
📅 Term 4
🏐 Girls Volleyball
🔥 Get involved, represent ŌTC & have some fun!
Expressions of Interest are now open, form below!
🚵 NZSS Mountain Bike Championships 2026 🚵
We’re now taking registrations for the 2026 New Zealand Secondary Schools Mountain Bike Championships.
📍 Locations
• Summerhill MTB Park, Tauranga
• Whakarewarewa Forest, Rotorua
📅 4th–9th October 2026
🏁 Events:
• XCC (Cross Country Short Course)
• XCO (Cross Country)
• XCR (Cross Country Relay)
• EDR (Enduro)
• DHI (Downhill)
Whether you’re chasing a national title, looking to test yourself against the country’s best riders, or simply wanting to experience an unforgettable week of racing, this is an event you won’t want to miss.
👉 To register https://forms.gle/YD6yASg17YKud4V38
🏆 2025 ŌTC Sports Awards Trophy Return 🏆
It’s that time of year! As we begin preparing for our 2026 ŌTC Sports Awards, we kindly ask all 2025 trophy recipients to return their perpetual trophies.
📍 Please drop your trophy off at the ŌTC Sports Office
📅 Return by Friday 22nd August
Returning trophies by this date gives us enough time to clean, engrave and prepare them for this year’s deserving recipients.
Thank you for helping us continue this proud ŌTC sporting tradition and celebrate the achievements of our student-athletes.
If you’re unsure whether you have a trophy to return, or have any questions, please get in touch with the Sports Office.
The 🏋️♂️ S&C is back for Term 3!
The timetable remains the same as we continue building towards Winter Tournament Week.
Every session counts. Let’s get to work. 💪
Bureta Physio
BOOK NOW FOR 2026 TERM 3 – with our Bureta Physiotherapy.
NO CHARGE WITH ACC – Available for students and staff
Head to Bureta Physiotherapy website, select ŌTC and pick your time.
STRONGER TODAY. PERFORM BETTER TOMORROW. 💪🏽🟢
At Ōtūmoetai College Sport, we believe physical development is not an “extra” — it is an essential part of helping young athletes thrive.
New research reviewing 17 randomised controlled trials across team sports found that structured strength training can:
✅ Reduce injury risk by 30–70%
✅ Improve sprint speed, jump height and power
✅ Enhance movement quality and resilience
✅ Support long-term athletic development and wellbeing
Most importantly, the evidence shows these benefits are especially valuable for youth athletes involved in sports such as football, netball, volleyball, rugby and basketball.
Our ŌTC Strength & Conditioning Programme is designed to do exactly that:
🏋🏽 Build stronger, more resilient athletes
⚡ Improve movement efficiency and athletic performance
🧠 Develop confidence, discipline and physical literacy
🛡 Help reduce preventable injuries and time away from sport
High performance is built over time — not just during a season.
That is why we strongly encourage all ŌTC student-athletes to commit to year-round physical development alongside their sport-specific training. Consistency matters. Quality movement matters. Long-term development matters.
Whether students are aiming for representative honours, premier sport, or simply wanting to enjoy sport for longer and perform at their best, structured S&C training provides the foundation.
- Stronger athletes.
- Healthier athletes.
- Better prepared athletes.
For more information regarding our Strength & Conditioning programme please use the following link – Strength & Conditioning at ŌTC
To read the research paper in full please use the following link – Strength Training : Injury & Performance
Backing Our Teams: Thank You to Our Valued Sports Sponsors
As we head into the winter sports season, we would like to take a moment to sincerely thank the businesses and sponsors who continue to support sport here at Ōtūmoetai College. Their generosity makes a real difference to the opportunities we can provide for our students.
We are incredibly grateful to Barfoot & Thompson for their support of football and volleyball; Ray White – Greg Bopf for basketball; Ray White – Mark Francis and Pak’nSave Cameron Road for rugby; Marshalls Innovation for their support of rugby and hockey; Seeka and Watts & Hughes Construction for football; and Tauranga ITM for hockey.
These partnerships play a vital role in helping our teams thrive, and we greatly appreciate the commitment these businesses show to our students and wider school community.
Strength and Conditioning
Term 3 S&C timetable is the same as Term 2. Show up, put in the work, and keep building. Stronger every session.
Wrestling at ŌTC
Kids Back to Sport: Your go-to resource for child sports injuries
The website link below unlocks a comprehensive support for parents, health professionals, and teachers & coaches, empowering a safe return to play for injured children.
SPORT Noticeboard and Digi Screen
All your current Sport information is on the Action Centre Sports Noticeboard and Digi Screen. Location is opposite the netball court.
Ōtūmoetai College Alumni
We are looking to start an alumni of any previous students of Ōtūmoetai College – if you would like to be included, please click on the link below.
