Page 132 - NHS Beyond the Classroom

Waikato Team Fair Play Award 1992

Rear: Neil Gorman (Player/Coach), Tony Crook, Chris Banks, Glen McLennan, Greg Nicolle, Wayne Funnell,
Reuben Barnes, Sandy MacDonald (Player/Manager).
Centre: Andre MacDonald, Andrew Pratt, Marcel Cross, Paul Montford.
Front: Karl Allen, Shane Gorman, Regan MacDonald (Captain).

This year (1992) for the first time in its from Ngaruawahia.
history, Sport Waikato incorporated into the With the club already fielding a Northern
Waikato Sportsperson Awards three new sections, League Division 1 side, a Waikato Premier
to recognize fair play - Fair Play Team, Fair Play Reserve side and a Waikato 3rd Division side (all
Individual and Fair Play Incident. seniors) the squad quickly became affectionately
Two teams were nominated for the Fair Play known as “The Babies”. Each weekend they
Team section - United Old Boys Under-17 Rugby played against seasoned and experienced veterans
Team (winners of the Matamata-Piako District of the game.
Sports Awards 1992) and Ngaruawahia AFC 1st The squad only won one of their games
Division Soccer Team (winners of the Waikato during the season, and that was in a local knockout
District Sports Awards 1992). cup match against their team-mates of the 3rd
The award went to the Ngaruawahia Soccer Division. The match went into overtime and then a
Team, which included a number of Ngaruawahia penalty shoot-out, lasting two hours and 15
High School boys. The trophy, plaque and cheque minutes!
were proudly collected at the event by player/ Players who made up the team were never
manager Sandy MacDonald (Ngaruawahia High once cautioned, booked or sent from the field of
School staff member) on behalf of the team. play. There was no retaliation towards any
The soccer side is the local club’s 4th team opponent of disagreement with any official in
and was quickly assembled just ten days before the either action or words, and all games received
commencement of the 1992 season at the request 100% effort by all players.
of the Waikato Football Association to alleviate a NHS pupils and staff involved in the squad
bye in the Waikato 1st Division. To make up the were Marcel Cross (goalkeeper), Andre
team a number of Ngaruawahia High School boys MacDonald (fullback & forward), Andrew Pratt
were “recruited” along with other youth and adults (fullback), Matthew Montford (midfielder),