An interview with Dilworth’s Director of Sport, Nicole Jensen
Deep into the winter of term three, and it’s the heart of winter sports season - chilly winds, dark evenings, sideways rain, and mud!
Many of our Dilworth sportsmen relish the experience of being out in the elements and taking part in team sports - and wouldn’t miss it for the world! But playing outside or in team sports isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Fortunately, Dilworth offers a wide range of winter sports options to suit all our students’ needs.
Winter sports are compulsory at Dilworth, and for good reason, according to Director of Sport Nicole Jensen. She firmly believes that participating in a winter sport benefits students on so many different levels. Building physical fitness is the most obvious advantage, but it is only one of them.
“When students step onto the field, court, or mat, they are engaging in more than just physical exercise. It is good for both their mental and physical health, keeping active through the colder months to maintain their focus and well-being”.
She also sees enormous benefits in the social connections sport helps create for Dilworth’s young men, benefits that carry over into life in general.
“Seeing a teammate give everything for the school creates a deep level of trust and loyalty that carries over into everyday life”.
Dilworth’s Winter Sport Options
Dilworth offers a wide range of sporting options tailored to every student’s skill level and interests. And while there are clear pathways for competitive sport, there are many other options as well.
This is what’s on offer:
Team sports: these teams compete weekly in official leagues in Terms 2 and 3:
Basketball: 8 teams (The most popular winter sport!)
Rugby Union: 6 teams (A massive turnout, representing roughly a third of the school)
Badminton: 6 teams
Table Tennis: 5 teams
Football (Soccer): 3 teams
Hockey: 1 team
Basketball and Rugby are the most popular sports at Dilworth by participation, followed by indoor sports such as badminton and table tennis.
Then there is wrestling, squash, weightlifting, and athletics, including a Middle-Distance Running Club that trains twice a week on local streets and volcanic peaks (covering distances from 800m to 3km).
Nicole says her team’s goal is to meet every student where they are. Whether a young man wants to aim for premier weekend competition, get fit with friends indoors, or simply head outdoors for a run - the school offers an option that suits his schedule and sporting interests.
“We just try to find what’s working for them to keep them motivated. They might want to do something more social or indoors. That’s okay, we work around them”.
Tournament Week: the pinnacle
For many of our athletes, the pinnacle of winter sports ends in Week 7 of Term 3 with Tournament Week – a much-loved regional and national competition for competitive teams across the country.
“Our students love tournament week”, says Nicole. “Of course, it’s a week off school, but really they love playing against other schools; they’ve worked so hard for this chance all season”.
This is where our teams will be heading for Tournament Week this year.
Premier Basketball: North Shore (Auckland)
Football (1st XI): Dunedin
U15 Rugby: Wellington
Wrestling & Weightlifting: One-day/weekend events in Auckland
Rugby League (National Stage): Papakura
Rugby League at Dilworth: "Give It a Crack"
Last year, for the first time, our students played rugby league at Tournament Week, and they’re keen to do it again, transitioning directly into a focused 3- to 4-week training block before Tournament Week.
This format worked well last year, and under coach Luke Laben's supervision, they went straight out and won the second-tier division. This year, says Nicole, “They have opted to go up a grade. To me, it just shows their mindset – we’re not going to sit back – let’s give it a crack.”
Like everything at Dilworth, she says, sport also comes down to personal excellence, a mindset. It isn’t about expecting every student to compete for a national title in Dunedin, but rather about participation, effort, and pride.
“Playing a winter sport means they are not only representing themselves but also their families and their school community, with total commitment.”