Lincoln University Sports Trials Hit Towns

Lincoln University Sports Trials Hit Towns

Media release, 20 October 2008, Lincoln University, Christchurch: The best and brightest young sporting stars from around the country will once again have a chance to showcase their skills and win a fully paid degree at Lincoln University, when the institution's team of sports specialists begin their trials roadshow on Monday, October 20.

Each year, the Canterbury-based university sends a team of specialist trainers and sporting code representatives to locations around New Zealand, offering up to 60 places in its sports scholarship programme.

Lincoln's sports scholarship manager, Peter Magson, says the programme is unique to Lincoln University and provides an outstanding foundation for the sporting stars of the future.

"Lincoln offers an exceptional opportunity for students with the ability to perform at regional and national levels, to achieve a good-quality degree while playing their sport and training up to 10 hours a week," Magson says.

The university's sports scholarship programme was established in 1999 and has continued to strengthen over the years, with the addition of the national trials roadshow in the last few years.

Magson says the trials have resulted in a higher calibre of applicants for the limited number of places on the programme.

"We now find that students are aware of Lincoln's sports scholarship programme and the high standards each of our codes expect of applicants.

"Getting into the programme is not an easy ride - but it is an incredible opportunity to be trained and mentored by some of the country's top sportspeople, while earning an academic qualification."

The scholarship programme currently covers elite sports (a range of disciplines not covered by the other codes), rugby, netball, hockey, cricket, golf, soccer and softball.

Current and former Lincoln sports scholars are now playing at national and international level across a range of sports, and many are also working as coaches, trainers and administrators within the different disciplines.

Teacher and Coach Training

In conjunction with the trials, Lincoln's specialist sports staff will also be providing Professional Development training for PE teachers and sports coaches in each of the five regions they visit.

Strength and conditioning coaches Craig Watts and Richard Deuchrass from Lincoln will be speaking about how to develop the Ultimate Sports Conditioning Circuit. Teachers and coaches will be given hands-on training in how to build a foundation for fitness in players and students, based around speed, agility, strength, balance and core components.

Trial dates:

Professional Development times - 1pm - 3.30pm

Trials - 3.30pm - 6pm

20 Oct - Palmerston North Boys High

21 Oct - St Paul's Collegiate, Hamilton

22 Oct - St Kentigern College, Auckland

23 Oct - Southland Boys High, Invercargill

24 Oct - Lincoln University, Lincoln

About the Lincoln University Sports Scholarship programme

Lincoln University created the Sports Scholarship programme in partnership with sporting codes including Canterbury Cricket Association, Canterbury Hockey, Canterbury Golf, Mainland Soccer, Canterbury Netball, the Canterbury Rugby Football Union and Softball NZ. In 2008 the University added a new Elite sporting category that makes it possible for sportspeople from any discipline who are competing at representative level, to also apply for the scholarship programme.

The programme is designed to assist young sportspeople from around New Zealand to achieve their academic and sporting goals.

The programme has consistently brought top sports performers to Lincoln University where they combine academic study with the extension and development of their athletic and sporting abilities through a focused training programme and access to top-flight facilities and staff.

Scholarship recipients must be academically capable and demonstrate a commitment to completing their degree programme. Academic success is an essential part of the programme and the scholars must pass their university papers in order to retain their scholarships.

In addition to meeting the academic criteria for selection, candidates should have demonstrated success in one of the programme's sporting codes at a representative level or have the potential to achieve success.

Lincoln staff assist scholarship recipients with their study selections, planning and time-management skills to ensure that their goals are achieved.

Previous and current successful Lincoln sports scholars include:

Richie McCaw and Andy Ellis (rugby); Michael Papps and Kate Pulford (cricket); Jo McCaw, Sarah Barnes and Katie Ritchie (netball); Jo Galletly, Jane Maley and Hugh Copland (hockey); Kristian Hutton and Georgia Goulding (soccer); Rodney Yee, Dean Cameron and May Chang (golf).

ENDS

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