Coastal sports teams and individuals continue to thrive on the sports fields with the month of August being one of the most successful for a number of years.

The Coastal Schools boys 2^nd XV, playing out of our school, completely upset the form book to win the Taranaki Secondary Schools Premier 5 competition. Having lost to both NPBHS 6ths and Central 2^nd XV they were not expected to cause many problems at the semi final and final stages. Unfortunately, for them they did not reckon on the Coastal spirit as first the team beat NPBHS 6ths 14-12 in the semi final and then dispatched the Central 2^nd XV in a big way 49-10 in the final. The Central team was the same one the boys had lost 5-48 just 4 weeks previously.

And the Coastal Schools U15 team with Daniel Downes, Jake van der Poel, Hamish Kape and Jonathon Adams playing easily beat FDMC Red in the U15B final.

The Year 7 and 8 team continues to be unbeaten in the Taranaki Trophy competition following a good win by 34-24 over a strong Rahotu team last week. This week they play the highly fancied Ngaere School, at Ngaere, in a replay of last years final.

Our Year 7 and 8 Netball has not been so successful in their inter-school competition but continues to play hard against some very good opposition teams. However the Senior Girls Netball team has just completed an excellent season finishing 2^nd in the New Plymouth Youth Social B competition after winning six of their nine games. These girls have had the most successful season for some years, at this level, and are to be congratulated for the hard work they have put in.

The Senior Girls soccer team has completed its first season in the Taranaki Secondary Schools B Division competition. And what a season they had finishing 3^rd overall after winning 9 of their 14 games. These girls need to be congratulated on the way they have improved throughout the season and have been a real credit to the school and themselves. They now complete in the Duchess Trophy, a knockout competition that has them playing NPGHS 1^st XI in the first round.

And while on the subject of soccer, all Saturday grades come to a close this Saturday. Our teams have all done well from Under 6’s all the way to Under 11’s. A big thank you to all those people who have helped out with these teams.

At the recent TSSSA 8 Ball/Pool Champs, Daniel and Barney Doyle were crowned champions. The boys had to go through 3 games of round robin play, then quarter and semi final before winning a tense and enduring final.

The Coastal Taranaki School Indoor Bowls team takes part in the TSSSA Indoor Bowls Champs this week and high hopes are held for the success of this team. Indoor Bowls is a sport that Coastal has excelled in over past years and they will be trying hard to maintain that reputation.

Our Junior A field hockey team, under the guidance of Mrs Ralph, lost a very tense and exciting final on Saturday – 2-3 against a somewhat questionable West End Kopae Mana selection. West End found it necessary to play 4 Intermediate players in a Primary School final and despite the very best efforts of our team they could not handle the physical presence of the bigger players.

Miss Zimmerman co-ordinated a very successful Junior School Cross Country last week. Despite the weather being unfavourable the students appeared to have a great time with many finishing covered in mud. When all said and done this is what cross country is all about… “heavy underfoot conditions, mud and rain”. From this event we will select a team to compete in the Coastal Schools Cross Country on 7^th and 9^th September at Omata School.

Upcoming events see the TSSSA Road Relays on Sunday 19^th September and the TSSSA Indoor Rowing competition on Wednesday 22^nd September. The Coastal Schools Cross Country is on the 7^th (Years 4,5 & 6) and 9^th September at Omata School and the Taranaki Primary/Intermediate Champs are in Hawera on Wednesday 22^nd September.

Well that’s it for now…may we have many more months like this as we strive to make Coastal Taranaki School one of the most successful sporting schools around.