25th NZ Secondary Schools Underwater Hockey Championships 2009

It's going to be such a great tournament. All those games... Unfortunately this year was my last in the schools tournament, so I can't play.

it's going to be a cracker next year.

the nationals a couple of weeks ago was really great. i am based in auckland and was involved in giving a bit of feedback to the organisers in the buildup but i was still surprised by some of the stuff they managed to pull out on the weekend.

they had a camera system that was amazing... they had cameras in the water, the corners, a birdseye camera which was fantastic and poolside cameras too, plus a mixing/editing system that worked very well and could produce splitscreen footage for coaches showing all angles at the same time. footage was broadcast onto a huge screen as big as the one at sheffield. all the timing systems worked well, the buzzers never failed, i think many people would be stunned at the high standard.

if anyone is considering sending kids teams anywhere and fancy an amazing trip, it'll be worth getting in on the action in christchurch.

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it's more polite on the grating than on the subs bench

Sounds like we should be asking NZ to host another worlds again soon....

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Faster than a speeding puck...

if the teachers and parents are keen to organise! give them a couple of years for their kids to grow a bit older, haha

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it's more polite on the grating than on the subs bench

Hi
The entry deadline has passed for the 25th anniversary of the New Zealand Secondary Schools Underwater Hockey Championships. 2-6 September 2009.

The recession has hit and we haven't quite made our target of over 64 teams or our maximum draw size of 80 but we have 60 teams confirmed with a couple of teams still to confirm.

Junior is Under 15 as at 1st Jan 2009 and Senior is U19 as at 1 Jan 09
Junior Girls 13 teams entered as at 29 June
Junior Open 15 teams entered as at 29 June
Senior Girls 16 teams entered as at 29 June
Senior Open 16 teams entered as at 29 June

The Guinness Book of World records lists the largest official Underwater Hockey tournament at 16 teams. So we will follow the process and certify the number and challenge South Africa to beat our numbers.

Further detail on the Underwater Hockey New Zealand Website.

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Tristan Reynard
Tournament Director
CMAS Underwater Hockey Commission
www.cmasuwh.org
www.cmaswebsite.com

[quote=TKR;9823]
The recession has hit and we haven't quite made our target of over 64 teams or our maximum draw size of 80 but we have 60 teams confirmed with a couple of teams still to confirm.
quote]

Wow!
We have half the number of players nationwide, than you have clubs. And thats when "recession" hits you?

It only goes to tell, how little did we do in past times, to promote the game in our land...

Hungary: 7 U-19 player... I'm so saad:'(

25th NZ Secondary Schools Underwater Hockey Championships
New Zealand’s Underwater Hockey stars of the future will be on show when the largest secondary school underwater hockey competition in the world when the tournament arrives in Christchurch on 2 September.
The 25th NZ Secondary Schools Underwater Hockey Championships involves 62 teams and 612 players, 60 coaches, 240 teachers, managers, drivers and referees. The Guinness Book of World Records as accepted the tournament application to register this event as the largest Underwater Hockey Tournament in the World.
The tournament has a 25-year history as the springboard for many New Zealand Underwater Hockey stars and many of the victorious NZ Under 18 Team members will be participating from the Southern Hemisphere Championships.
This event will also see teams from Tasmania, Australia also competing with a team in the Junior and Senior Open grades.
The Round Robin matches will be play on Thursday, Friday and Saturday Morning with the play offs starting on Saturday Afternoon and completing at 1PM on Sunday 6th September.
In 2008, the Epsom Girls Grammar School (Auckland) won the best school plate at the tournament, beating 5 other Schools including Scots College and Glendowie College. These schools look likely to feature again although Howick College and Wellington College seem to be favourites to claim the overall prise.
The tournament has four grades of ten teams in each, with all teams qualifying from regional qualifying events held in June.
In the Junior Grades (Under 15), Wellington College looks favoured to win the Junior Open Grade having won the Central Region tournament with Howick College, Nelson College and James Hargest College (Invercargill), looking likely contenders. The strength of the Tasmanian Team will be interesting to observe during the robin round phase of the tournament.
The Junior Girls Grade will see Diocesan school for Girls squaring off against Epsom Girls Grammar school with Wellington Girls College and Hutt Valley High School set to battled it for the grade title.
The Senior Girls (under 19) Title looks wide open with any one of 5 teams likely to take home the grade honours. Last years title holders Epsom Girls Grammar School from Auckland looks likely to be pushed by Otumoetai College (Tauranga) Chilton Saint James School, Queen Margaret College (Wellington) and Wellington Girls College.
The Senior Open (under 19) grade looks like a battle between Glendowie College, , Howick College of Auckland and James Hargest College, Hutt International Boys School all likely to advance through to the semi-finals. The team from Tasmania is the dark horse in the division
The tournament runs from 2-6 September and further details are available at the following website Underwater Hockey New Zealand
For further information contact:

Tristan ReynardSchoolsUnderwater Hockey New Zealand Bryn ThompsonPresidentUnderwater Hockey New Zealand
(0274) 495-536 (Mobile) (0274) 344956 (Mobile)

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Tristan Reynard
Tournament Director
CMAS Underwater Hockey Commission
www.cmasuwh.org
www.cmaswebsite.com

Hello to all team contacts.
CC UWHNZ Committee, NZSSSC
I am please advised that we have currently 612 players across the 62 teams and over 900 official participants in the Championships. For the registration process we do have some additional paperwork to claim the World Record, so please assist the organizing committee were ever possible.
Two new documents for the 25th New Zealand Secondary Schools Underwater Hockey Championships were published on the Underwater Hockey New Zealand Website Underwater Hockey New Zealand last night. These were the Managers/ Referees Briefing notes and the final draw. Additional details of the briefing notes are listed below.
1. Managers/ Referees Briefing notes. These have been discussed amongst the tournament referees and controllers and finalized. We will not have a Referees briefing as all referees are expected to be fully qualified (experienced) Level 1 referees. This is nationals not a zone qualifying event and all teams should have a full discussion on the rules before departing for Christchurch.
2. Level 1 Referees- Note: all Level 1 referees must have completed the L1 qualification. We are currently checking the listed referees as many have not completed the course requirements and being awarded the certificate by their instructor or are not members of UWHNZ. Please review your referees and check they have completed the requirements.
3. The final draw alteration has been completed. Thank you for your review of your teams matches. Please destroy any draws. The latest version was published on the website today, 17 August 2009. The tournament draw will be the one in the printed programme.
4. Late addition of people to teams. Can all schools please let me know prior to the event if they have any late additions to their team lists - so these players can be counted for the World Record.
5. Supporters Passes- In the past we have received a large request for passes. Additional passes will be available at registration for $7. It is too late to order additional passes now.
6. Intro DVD’s- These should have been received for use in the Welcome Function. One DVD per school.
7. DVD’s- It is our intention to video all the games in Court 1. We have purchased enough DVD’s to cover all the games in court 1 plus extras. We would like all of these DVD’s pre-ordered and the payment to be received at registration. Please preorder them this week to ensure we have sufficient DVD’s. email : schools@underwaterhockey.org.nz
8. Historical UWH Equipment- It would be great to have a display of historical uwh gear at the tournament as our theme is 25 years of schools uwh. Please see if you can locate anything old we would love to display an old style stick or two, old mask etc - schools programmes - entry forms etc - If you can assist can you please email: jbell@glendowie-college.school.nz
9. Trophy return reminders- Please and into the registration desk on Wednesday Afternoon.
1. Top School- Epsom Girls Grammar
2. Fair play Team- St Andrews College
3. Junior Girls- Nelson College for Girls
4. Junior Open- Scots College
5. Senior Girls- Epsom Girls Grammar
6. Senior Open- Glendowie College

10. Registration- Town Hall Car Parking. Drivers will need to come down Kilmore street from Colombo street and keep to the left lane, so they can turn into the drop off zone which works well, then the driver will need to go for a drive around the block to see were they can park on the side of the road. There is a Pay and display 50M down the road on the right hand side.
11. If you need to contact me please use mobile 0274 495-536 for further questions as I am unable to reply to emails instantly.
I look forward to catching up with you all in a couple of weeks.
Kind Regards
Tristan Reynard
Tournament Director
0274 495536

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Tristan Reynard
Tournament Director
CMAS Underwater Hockey Commission
www.cmasuwh.org
www.cmaswebsite.com

Results are available from Underwater Hockey New Zealand

Welcome function last night was fantastic and each school had prepared a 1 minute introductory video on their teams.

This tournament is huge. We have 3 courts playing at once, from 7.10am - 9.10pm with 93 games per day. One court is being filmed and projected onto a big screen, with two in-water camera operators, a corner camera at each end, and an elevated wide angle camera for surface shots.

Tasmania are doing well, and have had good results today.

A Guiness World Record log book is being certified and we now have the record for the largest number of players in and uwh tournament in a single venue, with 564 players.

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If I was given the choice of being able to fly or be invisible..... I would fly.