SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5040, 15 October 1926, Page 2

SCHOOL FOOTBALL.

SUCCESS OF NETHEIITON BOYS. SHIELD WON FOR THIRD TIME. The shield presented by the Paeroa Rugby Union for competition apiongst the primary schoolboys, within its territory has been Again won by the Netherton schoolboys, for the third time in succession. At the social held in .the Public Hall at Netherton on Tuesd.ay night the formal presentation of the shield wa,s made to the team by Mr W- Pennell, chairman of the Paeroa Rugby Union. Mr £5. H. Potter, president of the Netherton Club, presided, and after congratulating the team he called upon Mr Pennell to make the presentation. Mr Pennell said that it afforded the union great pleasure to hand the shield for the third time to the Netherton team- The boys deserved to win, because they had trained and played the game for the game’s sake. In congratulating the team he .also paid a tribute to the work apd enthusiasm of Mi- “Barney” Johnson, who had devoted much time to coaching and helping the boys. The boys had won honour for their .school, as well as for themselves, and he hoped that they would carry, their teaching with them after leaving school. Credit was also due to Mr T. D. Ric®, who, as headmaster, ha<d taught the boys discipline and how to take the hard knocks- of the game. The spe,akei’ paid a tribute to the work of Messrs J. Wilson apd W, Morrison, Netherton delegates on th-e union, who had done what they could to further the interests of football in the district. The shield was then handed to Keith Wilson, captain of the team, amidst considerable applause. On behalf of his team the captain said that they were proud of the honour which had beejn won for the school. They had played f ol r the pleasure of playing, and not only for the sake of winning. Although leaving school at the end of the year he hoped the team would keep going and continue to fight for the shield. As. a small token of appreciation of tlie services rendered to the team by Mr Johnson the captain called upon him to accept a fountain pen with the team’s good wishes and grateful thanks.

Mr Johnson, when acknowledging the gift, said that the success which the team had met with was not so much due. to his work as coach to the help and encouragement given by Mr Rice. The parents were to be congratulated o*u producing such fine, manly boys, and he hoped Netherton would continue to produce footballers worthy of the name.

Mr Rice thanked the speakers for their kind references to- himself, and said that, naturally, he felt proud of the boys-. He hoped .that by means of the Primary Schools Association school football would be helped and encouraged. It was good for the boys to be taught to play 'football, and to remember the “other chap” and play the ball and not the man. The success of the local boys was largely due to the inspiration given them by their pa,rents, and to the sound coaching by Mr Johnson. Rugby football x at Nethe.rton would always, be associated with “Old Barney,” who had helped not only the Netherton boys, but the whole of the Thames. Valley Union, especially with regard to the' touring team. The proceeds of the function that night were to be devoted to school football, and thanks were due for the liberal support that had been accorded the undertaking.