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Both Mahurangi College’s junior open A team and the junior girls team have qualified to go to the 35th NZ Secondary Schools Underwater Hockey Championships in Wellington in September.
The junior open team qualified for the nationals after placing second in the Northern Secondary Schools tournament in Auckland’s West Wave Pool Centre on June 16.
It came down to a gruelling sudden death play-off at full time against Glendowie College.
Their success is due in part to former Mahurangi College student Ryan O’Connor returning to the school to coach the team.
The school has also been able to capitalise on experienced talent with Elliot Sneddon returning to coach the senior team.
Last year, the senior girls team got gold at the National Secondary Schools tournament in their division.
In the wake of that success, the senior girls are again playing with the boys in the senior open team.
They played in the senior regional competition in Tauranga on June 22-23. They came just short of qualifying for the nationals in Wellington, but are hoping to get a wild card slot.
Mahurangi’s Underwater Hockey players have gained a strong reputation in recent years, with five women and four men selected to play for the Northern zone representative team, and two players selected for the NZ Under 19 women’s world cup team.
Five ex Mahu players, Elliott Sneddon, Recbecca and Samuel Twhigg, Juilianna Panui-leth and Sarah Wilson have also been selected for New Zealand world cup teams. They will compete in Sheffield, England, in August.
“The culture we have at Mahu UWH is amazing, and the players are like family with strong bonds,” general manager Kyla Wakefield says.
“We travel the greatest distance within the region and yet we always have a large turnout of family members who are often the loudest cheerers.
“It’s always interesting watching people when they learn the impact player they’ve noticed is from Mahu – there’s a bit of ‘of course they are!’”
Mahurangi Underwater are fundraising with a mid-winter swim this Sunday, July 7.
It starts at 10am at the Omaha Surf Lifesaving Club with options from a dunk to a 100m swim.
Tickets are $10 and include homemade soup and bread rolls following the chilly dip.
Info: kyla.bevan@gmail.com
