Latest news with #MenziesCollege
Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Commitment to the cause
Menzies College deputy principal and Phoenix Orange Hockey player Dean Ritani gives back to his sport coaching hockey. PHOTO: NINA TAPU Giving back to the sport he loves is keeping a Southland educator on the hockey field. When Menzies College deputy principal Dean Ritani is not playing hockey for his beloved Phoenix Orange Hockey Club, he coaches children to play the sport, which he says has brought him a lifetime of joy. Passing on his hockey playing knowledge to Southland students is his way of returning the fulfillment hockey has given him for over 20 years. Mr Ritani said teaching linked in nicely with coaching, because he was able to upskill people and got enjoyment out of seeing students improve. "There were a lot of crossovers here; you needed dedication and commitment for both," he said. "I wanted to pass on my knowledge . . .and thought that if I could give back a little bit . . . then I would." This year he has marked two decades that the 44-year-old has played for the Phoenix Orange hockey team. He said it was his passion and enjoyment of the game that had kept him involved in the sport for so long. "If you're passionate about something, you enjoy it, you're going to give your time and energy to it, and that is what I had found with hockey," he said. The hockey stalwart had lost count of the hundreds of games he had played in Southland since moving from Christchurch to Invercargill in 2005. A teaching job at Aurora College gave him the chance to keep playing his favourite sport around his teaching work, while coaching school teams on the side. He caught the bug for the game as a 12-year-old in Christchurch. A stint in the under-21 New Zealand hockey team as an 18-yearold took him to a World Cup tournament in Australia in 2001. If his "old sore legs" had not have given him trouble in 2017, he said he would still be doing the nationals circuit. In his younger years he had played in the midfield. He now plays in the back, letting his voice "move the young fellas around the field". Despite having to keep up with playing against opponents half his age, his passion for the game had not waned. He was motivated to see the next generation get the same satisfaction from the sport that he had gained. Coaching his daughter's under-15 squad this year and supporting his son play hockey has spurred him to keep giving his time to the sport. He hoped playing in the premier team final this week would give his side a chance at winning the title five years in a row.
Otago Daily Times
25-06-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Club donates life-saving device to give teen freedom, safety
Presenting a defibrillator to Aiden Cottrell (centre) and his father Luka (right) are Wyndham Pioneer Lions Club members (from left) Jan Wylie, Emma Stuck and Wendy Henry. PHOTO: SUPPLIED A new defibrillator will help a young man with a heart condition — which nearly killed him — to travel freely, after a generous donation by a community group. Aiden Cottrell, 13, has catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT), which caused him to have a cardiac arrest earlier in the year during a school event. Aiden was running the final leg of a relay race at Menzies College in February when he collapsed. Quick work by school staff and emergency services kept him alive, followed by six weeks in hospital. The Wyndham Pioneer Lions Club heard about the incident, and after a meeting of its committee, agreed to buy an automatic external defibrillator (AED) device for Aiden and his family. The AED cost about $3500 but could be the difference between life and death, especially in rural communities. Club president Emma Stuck said for a family such as Aiden's, who might need an AED at any time, the $3500 purchase was a lifesaver. "We've got a lot within the community, but none which are accessible 24/7. "So with Aidan's need, they can have one with them, rather than find one on the go during an emergency." Law firm Mee & Henry Law helped with getting the right model and fundraising. The device now sits with the family as extra security against a medical event. Aiden's mum JP Cottrell said it was a massive comfort, especially considering how remote the family was from immediate medical help. "With living rural, if something were to happen at home, first responders are quick, but being able to administer a shock as soon as possible is one of the most comforting things for us," she said. Mrs Cottrell, who also has CPVT, could not express her gratitude to the club and the law firm enough. "There's no words, it's just such a massive gift and it means I can be there to save his life, and so can mine. "It's immeasurable. "'Thank you' doesn't feel like it's enough." — APL
Otago Daily Times
10-06-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Filipinos now 10% of roll, college celebrates culture
Due to a recent influx of Filipino students to a rural Southland school, students organised a celebration dinner to share their Southeast Asian culture and connect. This year the proportion of students from the Philippines at Menzies College has reached 10% and to celebrate, they threw a dinner party. International committee president Sarri Penus, 17, said there were a lot of new junior students at the school and the dinner was a chance for them all to get to know each other and their families. Guests were encouraged to bring a dish that showcased or represented their family, she said. There were 27 dishes on display in the school hall, brought by 20 families. The star of the show was the whole spit-roasted pig, or Lechón and there was also a dessert table featuring custard, coconut and rice-based delicacies. Sarri said they were going to have a traditional dance as entertainment for the evening, but decided that was not an authentic experience at a Filipino party. "As Filipinos we love to have celebrations and parties and all that stuff," she said. She said at birthdays, Christmas and other celebrations the Filipino standard was karaoke, which went on after dinner. Before dinner, Menzies principal Kath Luoni welcomed guests in Tagalog and said 10% Filipino representation was a massive change from when she first started 15 years ago, when there were none. "For quite a long time, the few Filipinos who did arrive would have felt quite isolated in our community. But it's so nice to see everybody here tonight and feel that sense of belonging and I'm very proud of that," she said. Nicholle Bedrijo, 16, came to the school eight years ago and said when she first started she knew only one other student who came from the Philippines. "Even though I progressed through school without that many Filipino peers, I'm very happy to see the younger Filipino students bonding," she said. ESOL teacher Maura Dakin, who helped organise the event, said that the number of new incoming students from the Philippines in the junior school was more like 20%. She said most of them arrived with perfect English. Gore District Council community development co-ordinator Guillaume Willemse also spoke and reminded newcomers to the district to reach out to the council for support. A raffle for Ronald McDonald House, drawn on the night, raised a "tidy" sum of money, Ms Dakin said. "I believe this will be the first of many future Filipino celebration events," she said.
