On Thursday, Waitākere College welcomed our friends from Kaipara College for the annual Kaipara Sports Exchange. This long-standing tradition is more than just a sports tournament; it is a celebration of local rivalry, sportsmanship, and mutual respect.

The day began at 10:00 am with a Pōwhiri, grounding the competition in tikanga before the teams moved to their designated areas to warm up and find their focus.
The teams all worked hard and had a fantastic day of games. Congratulations to the Open Boys Basketball, 1st XI Girls Football, U15 Girls Rugby 10s, Inclusion Support Centre competing in their Multi-Sport Challenge,1st XI Boys Football,1st XV Boys Rugby, Junior Boys Basketballers, 9A and Premier 1 Netball teams from both schools, as well as their Coaches and staff.

When the final whistles blew and the points were tallied, the result was clear: Waitākere College has officially retained the Rathgar Shield for the fourth consecutive year!
The day concluded with a prizegiving on the field to celebrate the athletes and announce the Player of the Day from each team. A huge shoutout to SAS for sponsoring the prizes to those who showed exceptional skill and sportsmanship.

While the shield remains in our cabinet, the highlight remains the spirit of the day. It is always a pleasure to host Kaipara College, and we look forward to doing it all again next year.