WHS Cross Country
The annual WHS cross country event was another stellar whole school event. It was great to see so many students giving it a go.
As the early morning sun painted the sky with beautiful hues of pink and gold, the school grounds were filled with excitement and anticipation. It was cross-country day, a day that everyone – students and teachers – had been looking forward to.
The air was crisp, and you could feel a mix of excitement and nervousness all around. All the students gathered in their designated areas, each wearing their respective hapu colors, showing a strong sense of unity and pride. At the finishing line, spectators lined the course, cheering on their friends and classmates with so much enthusiasm. The course was new to some runners, and they absolutely loved it, especially with the stunning weather as a bonus. Even after the race was over, the spirit of friendship and sportsmanship continued to fill the air, showing the strong bond created through the challenges and triumphs of cross-country day.
The highlights of the day were the participation of the student body, the awesome fire bridge, the course this year was more cross country, our brilliant school spirit and the support from the community members watching everyone engage in a fun school activity.
This year we wanted to increase connection and participation across the year levels, to celebrate our successes more, promote the inter-hapu competition and encourage regular physical exercise in a positive way for all ability levels. We felt we achieved this and more with the support of everyone.
Our biggest challenge is that cross country is a dying sport in secondary schools, so we were attempting to reframe it in a positive way to encourage everyone to get outside and be active and create good habits. We felt the support and energy levels and the positive messages being communicated really helped to make this a fun event for all.
Looking forward to next year we will probably use the same course perhaps add some music at the finish line to make it more fun and festival like atmosphere. The PE department are always exploring ideas and welcome any feedback.
A big thank you to all the Marshall and staff members for their help with this event. We really couldn't have done it without your support.
And a huge thank you to the Hokitika fire brigade for adding fun to the race by splashing water on the runners. It was awesome!
We love your support!