1 00:00:06,667 --> 00:00:10,427 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine 2 00:00:10,707 --> 00:00:11,747 Speaker 1: from newstalk ZEDB. 3 00:00:13,067 --> 00:00:15,787 Speaker 2: One of the top rugby schools in the South Island 4 00:00:16,667 --> 00:00:21,347 Speaker 2: has five year fourteen students in their first fifteen squad 5 00:00:21,387 --> 00:00:24,107 Speaker 2: this season. For those of us of my generation and 6 00:00:24,147 --> 00:00:27,067 Speaker 2: a bit older, we're talking about eighth formers. 7 00:00:28,187 --> 00:00:28,347 Speaker 3: Now. 8 00:00:28,387 --> 00:00:32,307 Speaker 2: The year fourteen phenomenon, which sees students return for a 9 00:00:32,387 --> 00:00:35,907 Speaker 2: sixth year of high school for sporting purposes, has long 10 00:00:36,027 --> 00:00:40,467 Speaker 2: been a source of contention in secondary school sport. In fact, 11 00:00:40,467 --> 00:00:44,107 Speaker 2: the practice was banned in rowing earlier this year after 12 00:00:44,147 --> 00:00:46,987 Speaker 2: a small number of schools allowed students to return to 13 00:00:47,107 --> 00:00:49,987 Speaker 2: row at the Marty Cup, the national championships, so they 14 00:00:50,027 --> 00:00:52,347 Speaker 2: said no more of that. But it still seems to 15 00:00:52,387 --> 00:00:55,507 Speaker 2: be going on in other sports including rugby. How widespread 16 00:00:55,547 --> 00:00:57,987 Speaker 2: is it, has it gotten better, has it gotten worse? 17 00:00:58,027 --> 00:01:00,027 Speaker 2: And are there any steps in place to prevent it. 18 00:01:00,747 --> 00:01:04,667 Speaker 2: Let's bring in principle at Wellington's wrong Attai College and 19 00:01:04,787 --> 00:01:09,387 Speaker 2: Deputy Chair of the College Sport Wellington Board, Kevin Carter. Kevin, 20 00:01:09,387 --> 00:01:11,227 Speaker 2: thanks for joining us on Weekend Sport. You've seen the 21 00:01:11,267 --> 00:01:16,027 Speaker 2: story concerning Malbler boys. What was your initial reaction to 22 00:01:16,067 --> 00:01:17,347 Speaker 2: the story first of all. 23 00:01:18,267 --> 00:01:21,667 Speaker 3: Well, there are a number of reasons why kids actually 24 00:01:21,667 --> 00:01:24,747 Speaker 3: come back to school for a year fourteen, So it's 25 00:01:24,787 --> 00:01:28,667 Speaker 3: not a new phenomenon that students are doing this, I suspect, 26 00:01:28,707 --> 00:01:31,147 Speaker 3: it's just what's brought it to the attentions this year 27 00:01:31,267 --> 00:01:36,427 Speaker 3: number of a third of their first fifteen are year 28 00:01:36,467 --> 00:01:41,227 Speaker 3: fourteen students. I mean. The other flashboart has been rowing, 29 00:01:41,267 --> 00:01:45,387 Speaker 3: as you mentioned, where some schools have had you know, 30 00:01:45,627 --> 00:01:48,427 Speaker 3: five out of a rowing eight as year fourteen's and 31 00:01:48,467 --> 00:01:50,707 Speaker 3: then they leave at the end of mardy gup. That 32 00:01:50,787 --> 00:01:53,187 Speaker 3: does sound a bit dodgy, I think to many people, 33 00:01:53,467 --> 00:01:58,827 Speaker 3: and that's why the school's rowing community has moved to 34 00:01:59,227 --> 00:02:01,707 Speaker 3: sort of put an end to that type of thing happening. 35 00:02:01,987 --> 00:02:04,467 Speaker 3: But there are lots of legitimate reasons why kids come 36 00:02:04,507 --> 00:02:08,387 Speaker 3: back to year fourteen, and in particular academic ones. They 37 00:02:08,387 --> 00:02:11,187 Speaker 3: don't have the qualification they need to do what they 38 00:02:11,227 --> 00:02:14,747 Speaker 3: want to do in their next stage of their life, 39 00:02:15,027 --> 00:02:17,947 Speaker 3: and so they'll come back to complete the qualification and 40 00:02:17,987 --> 00:02:20,347 Speaker 3: we've had students at my school do that as well. 41 00:02:21,307 --> 00:02:24,587 Speaker 3: Generally speaking, across sports teams, if there is a year 42 00:02:24,627 --> 00:02:28,187 Speaker 3: fourteen in a school team, there might be one, and 43 00:02:28,747 --> 00:02:31,347 Speaker 3: I don't think that's a problem. It's when there's such 44 00:02:31,387 --> 00:02:33,827 Speaker 3: a large number that it becomes an issue. 45 00:02:33,987 --> 00:02:37,267 Speaker 2: Yeah, And I don't think anybody would would say that 46 00:02:37,387 --> 00:02:41,867 Speaker 2: coming back to complete academic qualifications at an academic institution, 47 00:02:42,107 --> 00:02:45,027 Speaker 2: a secondary school was that. There's nothing wrong with that, Kevin. 48 00:02:45,067 --> 00:02:48,947 Speaker 2: It's obviously it's I think, the right course of action 49 00:02:49,107 --> 00:02:54,067 Speaker 2: for many students. Do you think there is, though I 50 00:02:54,067 --> 00:03:01,267 Speaker 2: don't know, you know, a practice of students being encouraged 51 00:03:01,267 --> 00:03:05,267 Speaker 2: to come back for that year fourteen with the intent 52 00:03:05,547 --> 00:03:07,827 Speaker 2: of them partipating in sport. 53 00:03:08,587 --> 00:03:12,667 Speaker 3: Look, I couldn't comment on that. I have no idea. 54 00:03:13,027 --> 00:03:16,027 Speaker 3: I'd hate to think that that was happening if it was, 55 00:03:16,347 --> 00:03:19,987 Speaker 3: because it's wrong. It has to be about the academics. 56 00:03:20,827 --> 00:03:24,627 Speaker 3: There has to be some purpose in sports, not necessarily, 57 00:03:24,707 --> 00:03:28,027 Speaker 3: in my opinion, the right purpose for coming back to 58 00:03:28,027 --> 00:03:33,507 Speaker 3: school for another term or even you know, two thirds 59 00:03:33,547 --> 00:03:37,547 Speaker 3: of the or three quarters of a year. So I'd 60 00:03:37,707 --> 00:03:41,827 Speaker 3: hate to think that there were schools out there encouraging 61 00:03:41,867 --> 00:03:45,947 Speaker 3: students to come back solely to boost their sports teams. 62 00:03:46,547 --> 00:03:50,027 Speaker 2: Are there any hard and fast rules around year fourteen's 63 00:03:50,587 --> 00:03:52,347 Speaker 2: participating in sport? 64 00:03:55,267 --> 00:03:58,667 Speaker 3: It's not hard and fast about year fourteens it's about age. 65 00:03:59,227 --> 00:04:01,947 Speaker 3: There are limits to the age that students can play, 66 00:04:01,987 --> 00:04:07,227 Speaker 3: although rowing has brought in some some rulings on that 67 00:04:07,787 --> 00:04:13,627 Speaker 3: and the rugby age age limits have have been looked 68 00:04:13,627 --> 00:04:17,027 Speaker 3: at as well. So it's an age based thing. Is 69 00:04:17,427 --> 00:04:21,787 Speaker 3: the only is the only thing that restricts someone from 70 00:04:22,307 --> 00:04:24,307 Speaker 3: So you couldn't have someone who's twenty one playing in 71 00:04:24,307 --> 00:04:25,507 Speaker 3: the fear Susteam for us. 72 00:04:25,587 --> 00:04:28,987 Speaker 2: No, No, of course not. But I mean, should there 73 00:04:29,027 --> 00:04:32,027 Speaker 2: be a rule, Should there be a rule just for example, Kevin, 74 00:04:32,067 --> 00:04:36,307 Speaker 2: that once you've had you know that five calendar years 75 00:04:36,347 --> 00:04:39,587 Speaker 2: from your year nine year beyond that point you don't 76 00:04:39,587 --> 00:04:41,467 Speaker 2: play school sport. Would that work? 77 00:04:42,747 --> 00:04:45,787 Speaker 3: I'm sure that if that was put in place that 78 00:04:46,427 --> 00:04:51,747 Speaker 3: there'd be it would be able to be enforced, I think. 79 00:04:52,387 --> 00:04:54,867 Speaker 3: But the reality is, of course, let's not forget there's 80 00:04:54,867 --> 00:04:57,107 Speaker 3: not a lot of year four teens, and it's only 81 00:04:57,187 --> 00:05:01,987 Speaker 3: when there seems to be this this confluence of them 82 00:05:02,107 --> 00:05:04,947 Speaker 3: in one particular team then it seems to be an issue. 83 00:05:05,307 --> 00:05:07,907 Speaker 3: So if there was, you know, one player out of 84 00:05:07,947 --> 00:05:10,467 Speaker 3: fifteen in a FIRS fifteen who's in the year fourteen, 85 00:05:11,107 --> 00:05:13,147 Speaker 3: is there going to be a problem with that? Probably not. 86 00:05:13,587 --> 00:05:15,587 Speaker 3: But when there's five, there might be seem to be 87 00:05:15,587 --> 00:05:16,227 Speaker 3: an issue. 88 00:05:16,707 --> 00:05:18,507 Speaker 2: Has this been something you've been aware of in the 89 00:05:18,547 --> 00:05:22,907 Speaker 2: Wellington region. This is a Marlborough example, but it's just 90 00:05:22,947 --> 00:05:25,867 Speaker 2: the latest example. Has there been Has there been similar 91 00:05:25,987 --> 00:05:28,387 Speaker 2: sort of things in the Wellington region and in your patch? 92 00:05:29,307 --> 00:05:33,947 Speaker 3: Not that I'm aware of. Certainly in my time as 93 00:05:33,987 --> 00:05:36,587 Speaker 3: principal at my school, I think we may have had 94 00:05:36,667 --> 00:05:39,707 Speaker 3: two year fourteens over the sixteen years that I've been 95 00:05:39,747 --> 00:05:44,507 Speaker 3: principal who have played first often several years apart, and 96 00:05:44,547 --> 00:05:49,107 Speaker 3: they've all come back for legitimate academic reasons and bona 97 00:05:49,147 --> 00:05:51,827 Speaker 3: fide pupils of the school. I know there is at 98 00:05:51,907 --> 00:05:55,067 Speaker 3: least one Wellington school that does have a rule that 99 00:05:55,107 --> 00:05:58,147 Speaker 3: they enforce themselves. There will be no for year fourteens 100 00:05:58,587 --> 00:06:00,507 Speaker 3: in our first fifteen and good on them. 101 00:06:01,507 --> 00:06:05,667 Speaker 2: Would you like to see that, even not necessarily you 102 00:06:05,707 --> 00:06:07,707 Speaker 2: know in reigned in law, but would you like to 103 00:06:07,707 --> 00:06:09,427 Speaker 2: see more schools follow suit in that way? 104 00:06:10,427 --> 00:06:13,547 Speaker 3: I think it is something for the schools to think 105 00:06:13,547 --> 00:06:19,907 Speaker 3: about themselves, whether it became a regulation, as I say, 106 00:06:21,227 --> 00:06:23,947 Speaker 3: if it prevents five or six in a rowing crew 107 00:06:24,187 --> 00:06:27,027 Speaker 3: or a rugby team, that's something that people may have 108 00:06:27,067 --> 00:06:27,667 Speaker 3: to look at. 109 00:06:28,187 --> 00:06:30,707 Speaker 2: When you're trying to attract students to your school, and 110 00:06:30,747 --> 00:06:33,507 Speaker 2: I know you've got open days coming up, open evenings coming. 111 00:06:33,347 --> 00:06:35,187 Speaker 3: Up, and we had hours this week. 112 00:06:35,187 --> 00:06:37,587 Speaker 2: Oh there you go, well and always came to attract 113 00:06:37,947 --> 00:06:41,427 Speaker 2: attract new students to your school. How important is sport 114 00:06:41,747 --> 00:06:44,627 Speaker 2: and the offering of sport in that conversation. 115 00:06:45,107 --> 00:06:48,427 Speaker 3: Oh, look at it's part of the wider picture of 116 00:06:48,467 --> 00:06:51,587 Speaker 3: what happens at school, and you know, it is an 117 00:06:51,587 --> 00:06:54,947 Speaker 3: important thing, and certainly at our school it's something that 118 00:06:55,307 --> 00:06:58,147 Speaker 3: you know, we encourage kids to placeboard. Around eighty percent 119 00:06:58,187 --> 00:07:01,827 Speaker 3: of our boys play at least one sport for the 120 00:07:01,867 --> 00:07:04,907 Speaker 3: school during the course of the year, and so that's 121 00:07:04,947 --> 00:07:08,467 Speaker 3: something we highlight. And of course we also highlight the 122 00:07:08,547 --> 00:07:10,867 Speaker 3: you know, the kids that have done really well at sport, 123 00:07:11,307 --> 00:07:14,387 Speaker 3: and when our teams have done well, we highlight that 124 00:07:14,467 --> 00:07:17,987 Speaker 3: as well. So, yeah, sport's an important part of that attraction, 125 00:07:18,267 --> 00:07:21,707 Speaker 3: but no more important than the cultural aspects of the 126 00:07:21,707 --> 00:07:24,307 Speaker 3: school and of course the academic ones as well. 127 00:07:25,467 --> 00:07:31,107 Speaker 2: Is there ego at play in the secondary school sporting landscape? Kevin? 128 00:07:31,147 --> 00:07:36,667 Speaker 2: You know, headmasters, principals, coaches chasing sporting success by whatever 129 00:07:36,787 --> 00:07:38,347 Speaker 2: means is available to them. 130 00:07:38,827 --> 00:07:42,947 Speaker 3: I'm sure that whether it's ego or some other marketing 131 00:07:42,987 --> 00:07:47,107 Speaker 3: tools that there is that happened. You know, scholarships being 132 00:07:47,107 --> 00:07:51,187 Speaker 3: offered to students to change schools and play in the 133 00:07:51,387 --> 00:07:53,667 Speaker 3: use of tea and I mean it's one of the 134 00:07:53,707 --> 00:07:59,467 Speaker 3: reasons we have new school regulations across the whole New 135 00:07:59,547 --> 00:08:03,907 Speaker 3: Zealand secondary school sporting scene that there are limits to 136 00:08:03,947 --> 00:08:07,107 Speaker 3: how many new school players there can be sports teams. 137 00:08:07,387 --> 00:08:09,987 Speaker 2: Yeah, so just explain that to us. So basically, you 138 00:08:10,027 --> 00:08:12,387 Speaker 2: can't you can't buy in, for want of a better phrase, 139 00:08:12,867 --> 00:08:16,747 Speaker 2: an entire sports team for a year thirteen year for example, No, 140 00:08:17,067 --> 00:08:18,267 Speaker 2: you couldn't. 141 00:08:18,627 --> 00:08:22,787 Speaker 3: You're different sports have different numbers that you can have 142 00:08:23,187 --> 00:08:27,707 Speaker 3: in your squads on a match day, which which might 143 00:08:27,747 --> 00:08:30,987 Speaker 3: be three or four for instance in a rugby In 144 00:08:30,987 --> 00:08:34,707 Speaker 3: a rugby team here in Wellington, it is three players 145 00:08:34,747 --> 00:08:37,187 Speaker 3: out of the squad of twenty two that can be 146 00:08:37,427 --> 00:08:39,827 Speaker 3: new to the school and by that it's within the 147 00:08:39,907 --> 00:08:42,507 Speaker 3: last eighteen months of coming to the school and no 148 00:08:42,627 --> 00:08:43,067 Speaker 3: more than that. 149 00:08:43,707 --> 00:08:46,307 Speaker 2: And you talk before about you use the word marketing, 150 00:08:46,307 --> 00:08:47,987 Speaker 2: which I guess it is. You know, you're marketing your 151 00:08:47,987 --> 00:08:51,627 Speaker 2: school to prospective students, and I guess you're in a 152 00:08:51,747 --> 00:08:54,707 Speaker 2: competitive market, Kevin. Where you are you got Scott's College 153 00:08:54,747 --> 00:08:56,907 Speaker 2: just down the road, You've got Wellington College and Pats 154 00:08:56,907 --> 00:09:00,547 Speaker 2: Town a Catholic school, and others as well. Is it 155 00:09:00,627 --> 00:09:03,507 Speaker 2: competitive to try and get students, not just good sporting students, 156 00:09:03,667 --> 00:09:05,147 Speaker 2: but good students to your school. 157 00:09:06,947 --> 00:09:10,747 Speaker 3: Of course it is because all of our government funding 158 00:09:10,907 --> 00:09:14,227 Speaker 3: is determined by by the numbers of students we have. 159 00:09:14,427 --> 00:09:17,907 Speaker 3: Our staffing is determined in the state sector, in state 160 00:09:17,987 --> 00:09:21,067 Speaker 3: integrated sector, by the number of students we have in 161 00:09:21,107 --> 00:09:25,267 Speaker 3: our school. And herefre marketing the school and getting kids 162 00:09:25,267 --> 00:09:26,827 Speaker 3: through the gate is really important. 163 00:09:27,187 --> 00:09:30,587 Speaker 2: Well, you will forever be Artie Savia's School, Kevin, not 164 00:09:30,627 --> 00:09:32,387 Speaker 2: that I'm sure you use that as a as a 165 00:09:32,467 --> 00:09:36,267 Speaker 2: marketing tool. You might, but you'll always be Artie Savia's school. 166 00:09:36,547 --> 00:09:42,267 Speaker 3: We will. And Julian Savias and Winton Rufus there you go. 167 00:09:42,347 --> 00:09:46,907 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's an honor roll honor roll, which is very impressive. Kevin. 168 00:09:46,907 --> 00:09:49,267 Speaker 2: Thank you for joining us this afternoon to add some perspective. 169 00:09:49,267 --> 00:09:51,067 Speaker 2: I know our listeners will have a bit to say. 170 00:09:51,067 --> 00:09:54,147 Speaker 2: I appreciate your time. Cool, Thank you, No, thank you, Kevin. 171 00:09:54,267 --> 00:09:57,467 Speaker 2: Kevin Carter, a Wrongatai College principal and deputy chair of 172 00:09:57,507 --> 00:09:59,187 Speaker 2: the College Sport Wellington Board. 173 00:09:59,867 --> 00:10:03,067 Speaker 1: For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, Listen live 174 00:10:03,147 --> 00:10:06,587 Speaker 1: to news talks b weekends from midday or of the 175 00:10:06,627 --> 00:10:08,107 Speaker 1: podcast on iHeartRadio.