Posted in: Announcements, Sports News

Sports News Roundup 25 September 2026

Year 13 v Staff — Three Down, Three to Go!

What a way to finish Term 3! The first three games of our Year 13 v Staff Sports Series certainly lived up to expectations, with Volleyball, Basketball and Netball all producing incredibly close contests.

The Staff managed to sneak home in all three encounters, winning Volleyball 36–34, Basketball 40–34, and an absolute nail-biter in Netball 24–23.

While the Staff may currently hold the bragging rights, the real highlight has been the fantastic spirit in which the games have been played. All three matches were competitive, entertaining and full of plenty of laughs, with both our Year 13 students and staff playing in a way our school can be proud of.

A huge thank you to everyone who has played, supported and helped create such a great atmosphere. These games are a brilliant way to build connections between students and staff while enjoying some friendly competition.

That’s three games down and three more to look forward to in Term 4, with Football, Touch and Hockey still to come.

For now, the Staff have certainly earned a few weeks off to rest and recover before the Year 13s get their next opportunity to claim those all-important bragging rights!

🏆 2026 ŌTC WINTER SPORTS – UNIFORM RETURN 🏆

What a winter season it’s been! From the courts and turfs to the fields and gyms, our ŌTC student-athletes have represented the school with pride throughout 2026. 🖤💚

Now that the winter season has wrapped up, it’s time to get those uniforms back home!

👕 Please return your ŌTC winter sports uniform to SHED ONE as soon as possible.

Have a quick look in the wardrobe, sports bag, car, laundry basket… or wherever else it may have ended up! 😄

A massive thank you to all our players, coaches, managers, whānau and supporters for another fantastic winter of ŌTC Sport.

🏋️ S&C HOLIDAY HOURS

There will be no S&C training during the first week of the school holidays.

Holiday training will be available during Week 2:

📅 Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
⏰ 8:00–11:00 am

Students involved in the S&C programme are welcome to come in during these times and complete their training.

Normal sessions will resume when school returns.

 🏀 BAY BALLERS ŌTC 3×3 ACADEMY – TERM 4 2026 🏀

Ōtūmoetai College is excited to launch the Bay Ballers ŌTC 3×3 Academy for Term 4! 🔥

This is a great opportunity for our young ballers to learn, develop, compete and have fun in a fast-paced 3×3 environment.

Across the programme, players will work on individual skills, basketball IQ, decision-making and game awareness, before putting those skills into action through competitive 3×3 games.

📍 Venue: Ōtūmoetai College Action Centre
📅 17 October – 5 December 2026
🚫 No session Saturday 24 October – Labour Day weekend
🏆 5 December: End-of-season tournament day
✅ 7 Saturdays in total

⏰ SESSION TIMES
8:00am – 10:00am
Year 8 OIS boys enrolled at ŌTC for 2027 & ŌTC Year 9

10:00am – 12:00pm
Years 10, 11 & 12

💰 COST: $75 for the season
Includes 7 x 2-hour sessions

🔥 WHAT TO EXPECT EACH WEEK
⛹️ 1 hour of skills development
🏀 2 x competitive 3×3 games
🧠 Develop basketball IQ and decision-making
💪 Challenge yourself and keep developing your game

JUNIORS: Year 8 OIS boys enrolled at ŌTC for 2027 & ŌTC Year 9
SENIORS: Years 10, 11 & 12

 

If you have registered for 3X3 Spring League, you are already in.

LEARN • DEVELOP • COMPETE • HAVE FUN
Get ready for seven Saturdays of hoops, development and plenty of 3×3 action! 🏀🔥

⚽️ 2027 TERM 1 FUTSAL GIRLS – EXPRESSION OF INTEREST ⚽️

Keen

Calling all ŌTC girls who are keen to represent Ōtūmoetai College in Futsal in Term 1, 2027! 🙌

We’re getting an early start on preparations, with Lilly Muspratt running three Selection Squad sessions in the Action Centre during Term 4.

📅 Saturday 31 October | 3.00pm–5.00pm
📅 Saturday 7 November | 3.00pm–5.00pm
📅 Saturday 21 November | 3.00pm–5.00pm

Whether you’re an experienced futsal player or keen to put yourself forward for the 2027 squad, we’d love to hear from you.

👉 Interested? Complete the Expression of Interest form.

📧 Any questions, please contact dplayford@otc.school.nz

Get involved, get on the court and put your hand up to represent ŌTC Sport in 2027! 💪⚽️

SUPPORT HANNAH’S JOURNEY TO THE WORLD STAGE! 🛼🌏

We’re incredibly proud to celebrate ŌTC student-athlete Hannah Lines, who has been selected to represent New Zealand at the World Skate Games in Paraguay this October!

Hannah has been artistic roller skating for eight years, building an outstanding record that includes six national titles, a Pacific Cup title and a silver medal at the Asian Games in Korea. Now, in her final year at Ōtūmoetai College, she has earned the opportunity to take on the very best in the world.

Competing internationally comes with significant costs, and Hannah is working hard to help make this opportunity possible — including working at FreshChoice Ōmokoroa alongside her training and studies.

Our ŌTC community can get behind Hannah in three ways:

❤️ Donate via Givealittle — link available through our Linktree in bio
🏦 Direct bank deposit — Hannah Lines | 38-9025-0462077-09
🎟️ FreshChoice Ōmokoroa Hamper — 2 tickets for $5

Every contribution, big or small, helps Hannah get one step closer to Paraguay.

Congratulations, Hannah. We’re incredibly proud to see you representing New Zealand on the world stage — ŌTC is right behind you! 🇳🇿🛼

FREE LIVE Football Development Series for young athletes | 28–30 September

⚽ FYA FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT SERIES

🧠 SESSION 1 | RESET & GO AGAIN
The Mental Game of Tournament Football
Anna Veale | Mental Performance Coach | Fresh Coaching & Untapped
Tournament sport can be intense. Game after game, big emotions, tired bodies, mistakes, wins, losses – and then you’ve got to get ready to do it all again.
So how do young athletes switch on when it’s time to compete and switch off when it’s time to recover?
Anna will share practical strategies to help young athletes reset after a game, bounce back from mistakes, deal with nerves and disappointment, calm their minds, refocus and get themselves ready to go again.
Anna will begin with a 15-minute development session, followed by 45 minutes of LIVE Q&A, where young athletes, parents and coaches can ask Anna their own questions.
📅 Monday 28 September
⏰ 7:00–8:00pm NZST
💻 LIVE ONLINE
🎟️ FREE

⚽ SESSION 2 | BECOMING THE BEST PLAYER YOU CAN BE
Live Q&A with Francis de Vries
New Zealand International Footballer | Founder of Head Start Coaching
What does it take to keep improving, get the most out of yourself and become the best player you can be?
Francis will draw on his own journey through professional and international football – including the highs, setbacks, injuries, pressure, opportunities and lessons that have shaped him along the way.
Most importantly, this is an interactive LIVE Q&A. Young athletes, parents and coaches can put their own questions directly to Francis about development, setbacks, pressure, making the most of opportunities, professional sport, representing New Zealand and what he wishes he’d understood when he was younger.
Francis will also share why he created Head Start Coaching, what it has evolved into, and how he is helping young athletes turn what they learn about mindset into everyday actions and behaviours that support their development and performance.
📅 Tuesday 29 September
⏰ 7:00–8:00pm NZST
💻 LIVE ONLINE
🎟️ FREE

⚡ SESSION 3 | FUEL. RECOVER. REPEAT.
How to Fuel for Tournament Football
Dr Katie Schofield (PhD) | Registered Nutritionist
Multiple games. Short recovery windows. Early starts. Nerves. Changing appetites.
All of these can make it challenging for young athletes to fuel well, recover properly and maintain their energy across an entire tournament.
Katie, who helped create the FYA Tournament Fuel Guide, will share practical strategies families can actually use – including why fueling matters, how to use the gap between games to guide what and when to eat, hydration and recovery, and what to do when nerves or a low appetite make eating difficult.
Katie will begin with a 15-minute development session, followed by 30 minutes of LIVE Q&A, giving young athletes, parents and coaches the opportunity to put their own questions directly to Katie about fueling, hydration, recovery and sports nutrition.
📅 Wednesday 30 September
⏰ 7:00pm NZST
💻 LIVE ONLINE
🎟️ FREE
🎟️ ALL THREE SESSIONS ARE FREE
Join one session or all three. Young athletes, parents and coaches are all welcome.
🏏 CRICKET IS BACK AT ŌTC FOR 2026/27!

We’re excited to announce that ŌTC Cricket is back for the 2026/27 season, with Sam Owen taking the helm and leading cricket here at ŌTC.

Sam has been at the heart of ŌTC Cricket for a number of years and brings a genuine passion for growing the game at our kura. His focus is on creating more opportunities for our student-athletes to train, compete and represent ŌTC, while building a cricket programme that can continue to grow in the years ahead.

This season we are looking to field 1st XI Boys, 1st XI Girls, Junior Boys and Junior Girls teams, with a programme designed to provide considerably more cricket for our players.

What are we working towards?
🏏 Regular school-based cricket training
🤝 Four or more school exchanges, including opportunities against schools such as St Peter’s Cambridge, Rotorua Boys’ High School and Waikato Diocesan
💪 Cricket-specific Strength & Conditioning, beginning in Week 7
🏆 BOP Secondary Schools Cricket Championships
🏏 1st XI Cup competition

Whether you have represented ŌTC previously or are keen to get involved in cricket for the first time, we want to hear from you.

If you would like to play cricket for ŌTC this season, please complete the short registration form below. If you have already registered, thank you — you’re all sorted!

👉 REGISTER YOUR INTEREST HERE

Cricket is back. Pull on the jersey and be part of what we’re building at ŌTC. 🏏

Tauranga City Tridents American Football Club

The Tauranga City Tridents American Football Club is currently recruiting players for the upcoming 2026/27 season.

What they offer:

  • Flag Football programmes
  • Youth development pathways
  • Contact American Football for players aged 16+
  • Opportunities to compete nationally and internationally

The club is coming off one of its strongest seasons, with national championship success across multiple grades and continued growth throughout the Bay of Plenty.

Students interested in trying either Flag Football or Contact Football are invited to attend our Club Open Day.

Club Open Day Waipuna Park

Sunday 27 September

2:00pm

American Football offers opportunities for a wide variety of athletes and skill sets, with players successfully transitioning from rugby, league, athletics, basketball and touch rugby.

ATHLETICS TAURANGA

🚣 Give It a Go Rowing! @ Bay of Plenty Rowing Club 🚣

Ever wanted to glide across the water, build incredible fitness, and be part of an awesome team? Here’s your chance!

The Bay of Plenty Rowing Club is hosting Give It a Go sessions for Ōtūmoetai College Students interested in trying their hand at rowing. No experience needed—just bring your enthusiasm, comfortable sports gear, sock, warm top and a drink bottle!

WE NEED COXSWAINS TOO! 📢 Do you love strategy, leadership, and being the mastermind of the boat? We are actively looking for coxswains! As the “brain” of the crew, you’ll steer the boat, execute race plans, and motivate your rowers to victory. It’s one of the most rewarding leadership roles in sport!

Where: Bay of Plenty Rowing Club, 369 Wairoa Road, Minden, Tauranga

Who: ŌTC new rowers & potential coxswains of all fitness levels

When: Monday 21 Sep & 28 September – 5pm to 6.30pm

Come down, meet the coaches, and see if rowing is your next big passion.

See you on the water! 🌟

🏋️ Term 4 Strength & Conditioning

The Term 4 S&C timetable is ready. Sessions run from Weeks 1–9, with options for athletes competing now and those preparing for next season.

Summer sport athletes can attend their weekly sport-specific session to maintain strength and speed alongside training and games.

Winter sport athletes can use Sports Academy to build strength and movement skills ahead of next season. There are five session times to choose from; attending twice a week is recommended.

Game Ready offers coached speed and agility development on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 4:15–5:00 pm.

View the Term 4 timetable and sign up for S&C or Sports Academy through the Strength & Conditioning page.

🥏 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.

Bureta Physio – Over the Holidays…

YOU CAN STILL BOOK during the holidays  – 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

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.

Ōtūmoetai College Alumni

Please follow our College Sports Instagram page & Facebook Sports page, also below is a direct link to our Weekly Fixtures and Results on our website.
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News Roundup 25 September 2026
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