An NZCT grant of $4,377 to Taradale High School will go towards coaching and leadership services, and Blokart sailing equipment.

2019 saw the inclusion of four competitive hockey teams attending national and North Island tournaments. Expert coaching across the board from Graeme Findlay, Rob Stephenson, and Simon Nation (all representative coaches) and assistance from Greg Nicol (previous national coach and national development manager) has seen hockey at Taradale High School steadily increase in success and numbers, catering for all levels of skill and ability.

Hockey coach Robert Stephenson commented, “Coaching and leadership training is a vital part of the education of young men and women. Obtaining this funding helped students gain the confidence required to further help them now and in later life. Blokarting is a relatively new sport at Taradale High School. The funding we received from NZCT will assist those students participating in this sport to train and compete in the upcoming North Island and World Championship.

"Taradale High School has recently had great success in both the National Mountain Biking Secondary Schools competition in Wellington and the National Secondary Schools Multisport races in Rotorua. Our under-16 boy’s mountain biking relay team won their race and are New Zealand Secondary School Champions. Out of the 12 Taradale High School students who participated in Rotorua, we had first place finishes in under-19 and under-16 boys and finished in the top three places in all of the other categories we competed in.

“The funding NZCT provide is enormous in respect to our students being able to firstly take part and secondly compete at the level they do. Giving young adults the opportunities to better themselves through sport will only make society a better place.”

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