We are 13 days until the 2018 NZ Secondary Schools Ki o Rahi National Tournament and we've been fortunate enough to receive team profiles from some of our teams heading to Nationals from the Whanganui Region.

Here is our second profile from Te Kura o Kokohuia who finished 3rd at the Whanganui Secondary Schools Regional Tournament - Thank you toTe Kura o Kokohuia and Whanganui Ki o Rahi for the profiles and especially to Dhinisti Patea. Nga mihi nui ki a koutou!

Te Kura o Kokohuia - Whanganui

Te Kura o Kokohuia has been playing Ki O Rahi just over 4 years now.
We are only a small kura, but this year we were fortunate enough to field two
teams at regionals with a total of 26 students.

This year will be the first time Te Kura o Kokohuia will attend Ki O Rahi
Secondary Schools Nationals.

I think the reason why our kids love this tākaro Māori so much is for the fact that
it is a Māori sport. It is also not your stereotypical sport where you have to be
fittest, fastest, and strongest but more strategic. It is definitely a game for
everyone.

We were luckily enough to secure a whānau member of the kura, who also
participates in Ki O Rahi in our region. Wiremu Wakefield is head coach and all
kaiako help out where they can to make his job easier.

We have had students participate at Nationals but not for Te Kura o Kokohuia
Because this will be a first time for Te Kura o Kokohuia participating in a
Nationals as well as having a very young team, we only hope that our rangatahi
give it their best and play with heart.

We are definitely looking forward to the exposure our rangatahi will get to this
hākinakina, especially at a National level. From there, we only know that the
aroha for this kēmū Māori will grow within the Kura!

Teams heading to Nationals: Whanganui Region - Te Kura o Kokohuia