24 Issue 54 – October 2015 – QUEEN MARGARET CALLING
In 2014 the 1st XI Football team were runners-up in the Regional Premier 2 Division securing
the squad a place in Premier 1 Division for 2015.
QMC
Football
History
For the first time in the school’s history we had a team play in
the Premier 1 Division. This meant the 2015 squad not only
had to prove they deserved to be there but ensure their place
for the 2016 season.
Captain Kenzy Cooper explains that with six new players this
year, the 1st XI team worked hard to come together as a successful
unit and step up to the standard required for the top Wellington
College Sport grade.
“Despite a relatively young team all players continued to improve
over the course of the season, both in confidence and skill,” Kenzy
comments.
The team fought hard throughout the entire season, competing
against the top teams inWellington, to take fifth place in the division.
The First XI also gave spectacular performances at the secondary
schools Grant Jarvis Tournament in Inglewood, New Plymouth.
Despite losing some players to injury, the team battled through
the pool rounds and made it to the top eight of the tournament,
coming out with a placing of fifth overall out of 24 teams.
“Throughout the whole tournament, everyone in the team really
stepped up,” Kenzy says.
The team was coached and managed by Head of Physical
Education, Nicola Kaiwai, and trained consistently throughout the
season, including attending fitness sessions with High Performance
Sport NZ.
We have had individual successes too; Molly Newton Smith and
Lucy Sladden have been selected for the Capital Federation Talent
Centre Team and 1st XI Kenzy selected for the Capital Football
National Women’s League team.
The Year 8 student started competing in track and road
cycling last year and has already proven she is a talented
cyclist.
In May this year, Amelia was the youngest rider selected from
Wellington to compete in the Age Group Track Nationals in
Cambridge.
“I was in the Under 15 section and I was only 12 years old,”
Amelia explains.
For the young athlete the experience was extremely worthwhile
because she came back with a new personal best of 45.798 seconds
doing two laps of the Velodrome.
This year Amelia also competed in the Manawatu Schools
Road Cycling Championships and was first in Uphill Climb, first in
Individual Time Trial and second in the Criterium Race. For her
efforts, she was awarded the Medal for Manawatu Overall Winner of
the Year 7 and 8 Girls.
One of Amelia’s recent tougher competitions was the North
Island Secondary Schools Road and Track Cycling Championships.
Amelia won the Bronze Medal in the U14 Girls Elimination Race, a
result she was especially pleased with.
A year after taking up cycling and Amelia Taylor has earned
another medal to add to her growing collection.
Lightning Fast
“I trained hard all year
so I was very happy when
I received the medal,”
Amelia comments.
“I normally go up Mt
Victoria on Wednesday
morning to train for a hill
climb and do an easy ride
round the bays on Friday
mornings,” she says.
With a spin session
on Tuesdays and a group
ride on Sundays as well,
Amelia manages a busy
training schedule.
The budding cyclist has always loved riding bikes and says the
speed is what keeps her hooked to the sport. Amelia is hoping to
pursue cycling professionally when she finishes school but for
now is focused on her upcoming races, including the Wellington
Championships and her goal to make the nationals next year.