Rotorua Boys’ High School win NZ Secondary Schools Football Champions 2026 Boys Trident Tournament
Koeppen told the Rotorua Daily Post the win meant “a lot” to him.“We came a long way. It was a lot of hard work ... when you coach a team, there are so many training sessions and there is so much work behind the scenes.”He said the key in a seven-game tournament was consistency.“That’s what the boys showed in that tournament, and I was really proud that they could deliver.“I think for many of them, it was the first win with the school team as well, so I assume it means a lot [to them].”Koeppen said there were some celebrations after the final whistle blew.“I think emotions run high – that’s the beautiful thing about sports, why when you win something and the whistle blows, you can just jump in the air with joy and just celebrate that.”He said the team were supported by whānau, friends and the school.“I hope with a win like that ... we can motivate more young players to start playing football.”Koeppen said this season was his first coaching the team and he quickly saw their “potential and talent”.“I think it’s always that mix of being talented but also having the right mindset and putting enough work in to reward yourself.”Koeppen said it was a “good season” overall and the team came fourth at the Super Eight competition in Hamilton a month ago.“That was already huge. And I think that tournament was really the perfect ending for that season.”He said being in the Super Eight competition’s semi-finals showed the players “what is actually possible for us”.Trident tournament co-ordinator Daniel Gibbs said it was a “big occasion to win any of these tournaments”.“It’s not the premier tournament but it’s still a high level and they played in good spirit ... Even after they’d won, a couple of the boys stayed behind and helped me pull down goal nets and things like that, so that speaks to some of the character of them.“They could have been off celebrating but they opted to stay and help pack down.”
Most Popular
