Sports What sports did you used to play?

[Teets]

League, Rugby, and Touch.

Grew up pretending I was Tawera Nikau and Zinzan Brooke in the backyard.

More rugby than league as a kid but that was more due to lack of opportunity.

Way more league than rugby as an adult and still playing both league and Touch.

Appreciation for real competitive touch came after 30.

Young League playmakers should all watch video of Dylan Hennesy, has pass selection down to an art form.

 

[Cces]

I had a heap of athleticism as a kid so Athletics (lots of Shot Put & Relay team success) was my main pastime. Union in the winter where I'd be the kid who'd run around everyone but catching the ball was usually 50/50
Managed to play 100+ games of Pemier footy as a Flanker. It wasn't until I began to lose my athleticism in my late 20's that I actually develop some decent catch/pass & communication skills, enough to play a few years at the National 7s competition representing one of the Heartland provinces. I didn't take up League until I was 30. Wish I'd done it 25 years earlier & not wasted so much time doing Lineouts & contested Scrums!

These days it's Hiking & Squash against the Mrs, who smokes me.
I run Kī-o-Rahi & Touch comps in my community so occassionally get to jump on the field when I'm not coordinating & my legs manage to hold together.

 

[Viking]

I had a lot of athleticism as a kid so Athletics (lots of Shot Put & Relay team success) was my main pastime. Union in the winter where I'd be the kid who'd run around everyone but catching the boy was usually 50/50
Managed to play 100+ games of Pemier footy as a Flanker. It wasn't until I began to lose my athleticism in my late 20's that I actually develop some decent catch/pass & communication skills, enough to play a few years at the National 7s competition representing one of the Heartland provinces. I didn't take up League until I was 30. Wish I'd done it 25 years earlier & not wasted so much time doing Lineouts & contested Scrums!

These days it's Hiking & Squash against the Mrs, who smokes me.
I run Kī-o-Rahi & Touch comps in my community so occassionally get to jump on the field when I'm not coordinating & my legs manage to hold together.

I have this theory that faster kids have trouble staying in sync with their slower teammates hence the clunkier catch and pass. It's something we're working on with one of my sons. Playing touch is helping, playing tag not so much.

Almost every kid I see doing athletics to a decent level does well in team sports. Not because they're faster or more athletic than other kids but because they handle pressure better. Athletics kids are used to trying and failing as opposed to kids that only do team sports who can have a bad game and the team can still win. You have a bad performance in athletics and you lose in front of hundreds of people sometimes. The high jump always ends in failure for example. Those experiences build up a degree of resilience that transfers well in rep trials IMO.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

I have this theory that faster kids have trouble staying in sync with their slower teammates hence the clunkier catch and pass. It's something we're working on with one of my sons. Playing touch is helping, playing tag not so much.

Almost every kid I see doing athletics to a decent level does well in team sports. Not because they're faster or more athletic than other kids but because they handle pressure better. Athletics kids are used to trying and failing as opposed to kids that only do team sports who can have a bad game and the team can still win. You have a bad performance in athletics and you lose in front of hundreds of people sometimes. The high jump always ends in failure for example. Those experiences build up a degree of resilience that transfers well in rep trials IMO.

I would say it’s a difference of team vs individual sports more than just athletics.

Both have their strengths and weaknesses and take different personalities to be successful.

 

[Viking]

I would say it’s a difference of team vs individual sports more than just athletics.

Both have their strengths and weaknesses and take different personalities to be successful.

Yeah, I was going to add that it applies to individual sports in general. I guess athletics has the advantage of being multi discipline though. And it’s the dynamic disciplines like the sprints and short hurdles, throws and jumps that seem to transfer better to league than the endurance events. The body types of those athletes will be the difference.

 

[JustVisiting82]

I played a little bit of rugby union at various times in my 20s and early 30s but gave up after my fifth rugby-related broken collarbone. The first broken collarbone was the one and only time I played rugby at lunch time in primary school and the other 4 times were across 4 seasons as an adult.

My main sport since my teens has really been touch and as an adult I have been playing for the same social touch team for the last 20 years with only one season off in that time.

 

[Lets Eat (YeahNah)]

Soccer as a youngster
Rugby through high school playing centre or wing, nice step and fend but absolute puss nuts on defence

Switched to league out of school and learnt how to tackle playing in the middle

Then lawn bowls !!

 

[Matiunz]

Played Soccer and Cricket in primary school but got a bit bored of it.
Started playing hockey in intermediate and into high school was a pretty handy Goalie- helped that I was playing Rugby at the same time so was a bit more solid than your average hockey player.
Always a league fan but wasn’t an option in school so tried club league once I left school, unfortunately a bit too gang riddled for my liking so went back to union.
Now days still play Union and Squash and the odd social indoor netball

 

[PhilsySH35]

Tried everything at school but my main sports were:

Touch - about 15 years, Tennis - about 10 years, Table tennis - about 10 years, Squash - about 5 years.

Had my last game of touch the week after my first kid was born and moved to the couch as couldn’t afford to get injured

Mean brother, gave it up for your whanau - did the right thing

 

[PhilsySH35]

always loved watching sports on telly (AB's, black caps) loved watching Winfield cup (friend from work used to lend out his vhs cassette tapes to us his whanau sent over from oz, then my brother inlaws pulled me in to play social league with them in the forwards (I was open side prop, one was blindside prop and the youngest was our hooker) - loved the simplicity of the game, loved the camaraderie, the friendships you make battling together against the common enemy, all the teams we played against there was never any nastiness or hostilities just good hard tackling and running, even when we played against the mob or the black power it was just another team we played against - no ugliness, we even had about 6 young guys who played soccer who wanted to play for our team - 6 skinny white boys - our team made up of Maori and island boys, but dam these boys were fast and bloody hard , they loved the tackling and running it up the gutz - good times played until knees gave out then transitioned to flag (closest game to league with out the tackling), then to touch, basketball, outdoor netball socially, indoor netball family team, indoor cricket, table tennis. now too old to run around - so now do a bit of workout in the local gym when I can - but mostly armchair player - couch potato.

 

[Hardyman's Yugo]

Played all the ball games as a kid, played league until my early twenties but was never tough enough. The one I was good at was middle distance running in track (800/1500 and latterly 5000) with Road and cross country races in the winter.

 

[Playdaball]

Rugby league
Rugby Union
Basketball
These were the 3 main sports I played.
There were other sports too.
Unlike many others on this site, I’ve never played soccer. When I was growing up it used to be called a , ‘poofters sport’ … whoops non PC to say that now . Still had massive participants back then and that was West Akld.

 

[Teets]

Rugby league
Rugby Union
Basketball
These were the 3 main sports I played.
There were other sports too.
Unlike many others on this site, I’ve never played soccer. When I was growing up it used to be called a , ‘poofters sport’ … whoops non PC to say that now . Still had massive participants back then and that was West Akld.

Yep when I was kid, the soccer kids were definitely looked at as pansies.

Jokes on me, found out later in life some local soccer clubs have more teams than then the entire local rugby league comp.

If league had even a quarter of the soccer funding and participation rate the Kiwis would be a force and we'd have multiple NRL teams.

Still fucking hate soccer though.

 

[Viking]

Rugby league
Rugby Union
Basketball
These were the 3 main sports I played.
There were other sports too.
Unlike many others on this site, I’ve never played soccer. When I was growing up it used to be called a , ‘poofters sport’ … whoops non PC to say that now . Still had massive participants back then and that was West Akld.

Basketball will overtake Soccer for participation in NZ if it hasn't done so already.

 

[RiceOwl]

Played all the ball games as a kid, played league until my early twenties but was never tough enough. The one I was good at was middle distance running in track (800/1500 and latterly 5000) with Road and cross country races in the winter.

I’m pretty similar to you HY. Am I right in thinking you’re a Pom? If so, we’re you a Coe or Ovett fan?

 

[Hardyman's Yugo]

Played all the ball games as a kid, played league until my early twenties but was never tough enough. The one I was good at was middle distance running in track (800/1500 and latterly 5000) with Road and cross country races in the winter

I’m pretty similar to you HY. Am I right in thinking you’re a Pom? If so, we’re you a Coe or Ovett fan?

I am mate. Both of them are a few years older than me,. I’ve met Ovett once, ran the 5000m in the Scottish champs one year and he started chatting to me in the changing rooms. Didn’t know who I was but just a friendly guy, he wasn’t an international class athlete by then and was living a relaxed life in Scotland.

I’m about the same age as Steve Cram who I’ve run against on the road, think he’s about six months younger than me.

Not in their class obviously! I was a decent club standard runner and competed for the county.

Coe is one of the best athletes we’ve ever had, a freak of nature and highly intelligent. Well coached by his father as well who was another smart cookie

One of my idols as a kid was John Walker, ran a fantastic race against Filbert Bayi in the Christchurch Commonwealths and broke the mile world record the following year. Got overtaken in the late seventies by the British athletes though

 

[Boats n Hoes]

Youngest in a family of nine with not a lot of money sport was our main outlet, so played everything going......mainly being dragged by brothers n sisters to whatever they were doing.

Guess I had good hand/eye co-ordination (formed from endless hours of gutter board - get your kids into this early peeps, great for hand/eye and depth perception)

Table Tennis (bro was nationally ranked), Tennis (played junior reps in BOP), old man was one of those Tennis parents who had me out hitting a ball till after dark, got sick of that by my teens so took up cricket....broke his heart. Got into the indoor cricket scene, loved it playing tournaments against a few black caps.

Played Rugby all through school, made a few Rotorua rep teams (smart mouth halfback who wind up the opposition but knew better than get caught at the bottom of a ruck) .played club rugby but got injured early which is when I threw myself into the touch scene (didn't hurt the girls playing were hot as well).

Played reps for the Bay in all grades through to masters. Played NZs in a couple of World Cups. Mostly coaching young uns these days with a bit of business house golf n bowls in the mix.

 

[Up the guttz]

Played stupid union for some reason but boxing was my main sport

 

[RiceOwl]

Played all the ball games as a kid, played league until my early twenties but was never tough enough. The one I was good at was middle distance running in track (800/1500 and latterly 5000) with Road and cross country races in the winter

I am mate. Both of them are a few years older than me,. I’ve met Ovett once, ran the 5000m in the Scottish champs one year and he started chatting to me in the changing rooms. Didn’t know who I was but just a friendly guy, he wasn’t an international class athlete by then and was living a relaxed life in Scotland.

I’m about the same age as Steve Cram who I’ve run against on the road, think he’s about six months younger than me.

Not in their class obviously! I was a decent club standard runner and competed for the county.

Coe is one of the best athletes we’ve ever had, a freak of nature and highly intelligent. Well coached by his father as well who was another smart cookie

One of my idols as a kid was John Walker, ran a fantastic race against Filbert Bayi in the Christchurch Commonwealths and broke the mile world record the following year. Got overtaken in the late seventies by the British athletes though

That’s very cool having met Ovett. I was lucky enough to meet him about 10yrs ago when he was in NZ as an ambassador or the Queen St Mile event I participated in. Was a really nice guy and happy to chat.

Agree re: Coe, such a smooth runner and hell o an athlete, and that partnership with his father is one of folklore. I forget a bit about Cram but that was one hell of a period for British Athletics

JW was fantastic too in his prime and ha a very long career. I got to meet him as well but his Parkinson’s had well taken hold by this stage so wasn’t able to communicate well unfortunately.

I have a similar story to you playing a wide variety of sports as a youngster but winter was mainly league playing for the mighty Te Atatu Roosters (although started at the Glenora Bears due to the fact my uncle played for Nth Sydney Bears in the 70s and was a trainer for the FG side in early 90s). Played until I was 14 (played alongside Sio Soiola and Hame Lauaki at different stages) but ultimately was way too small.

Found I had some ability for middle distance running so took that up through school for some jnr titles before heading to the states (Texas) to compete for a D1 school there. Couldn’t quite crack it so came home and gave Coast to Coast a nudge. Following a car accident in my mid 20s left me unable to run I now coach instead.

I was fortunate as a youngster my Dad secured tickets to the first game in 95 and have been a mad supporter ever since (esp since the Bears left the comp).

 

[hornbybrown]

Cricket, rugby, softball, football got as far as trial for Canterbury B rugby team in 2003. Scored two try’s and got told they would be in touch with me. Never heard from them.

Might be all the piss I drank afterwards.