ODT Article; Uni games may open arms to polytech students

One of New Zealand’s oldest multisport events may soon embrace a new group of competitors.

Breaking a tradition which began with the first event in 1902, polytechnic and technological college students are likely to be invited to compete in the University Games.

University Sport New Zealand (USNZ), the student-run organisation that organises the games and six other sporting events annually, has agreed in principle to expand membership to more than 213,000 students studying at the country’s 20 polytechnics.

The final decision on constitutional changes will be made next month, and president Hamish Hopkinson, of Auckland, said he was reasonably confident the membership rules would change.

“We’ve been talking about this for the past 10 years but nothing has happened. It is time we dealt with it,” he said yesterday.

The University Games, held each Easter, are the secondlargest multisport event in the country, behind the Masters Games. This year’s games, in Christchurch, attracted 2150 competitors in 46 team and individual events.

USNZ staff also organised an annual cricket tournament, triathlon and snow games, and was this year planning the inaugural yachting regatta. In addition, three regional tertiary challenge events were held, which also involved polytechnic students.

Bringing polytechnic students on board was an exciting opportunity to broaden competition, Mr Hopkinson said.

“More competitors and more teams means better competition.”

USNZ had worked hard in recent years to improve the image and quality of competition at student games, he said.

“In the 1980s and early 1990s, university events were dominated by alcohol. But we have spent the past few years trying to be a more professional organisation.

“By bringing polytechnic students on board we would represent 100% of tertiary students and would grow our influence in the sporting event sector.”

Initial support from Otago Polytechnic students was positive, student association president Richard Mitchell said yesterday, particularly from the institution’s Sports Institute of Otago and Adventure.

There would be some natural rivalry between university and polytechnic competitors, he said.

This article was taken from the Friday 5th May 2007 edition of the Otago Daily Times with the express permission of the writer, Allison Rudd.