Thuggery in school sport
Last night I witnessed an appalling display of bad sportsmanship and plain thuggery while watching a schoolboy (Y10) game of indoor basketball. The opposing team used disgusting tactics of shoulder barging, fist fighting and head butting. The game was stopped seconds from the end of the third quarter, a meeting on the court of all players and coaches and one of the offenders sent to the side-line…………………..but he was on the court again in the final quarter. The Ref refused to be part of the game in the fourth quarter due to being sworn at , lack of respect and questioning by the opposing team as to decisions made and the general unsportsmanlike behaviour. One of the side line spectators refereed the last quarter. The boys in the opposing team were big solid guys who used this advantage in an extremely questionable way. What does this unchallenged despicable behaviour display to younger ones coming on? Its acceptable to be a bully and a thug with no consequences? Why is this behaviour allowed/tolerated and not stamped out, by the coach? The offences were red cardable and very disturbing to watch. In my opinion the team should be stood down for a couple of games and the coach held accountable.
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
Poll: Would you help your kids out with buying a home?
OPINION: Over the past year, I’ve had the same conversation with many Waikato families again and again.
A child has found a house. The market feels like it’s moving. There’s pressure to act quickly. And before anyone has really had time to think it through, parents are being asked to step in with cash, guarantees, or equity from their own home.
Would you help your kids out with buying a home? Tell us more in the comments (adding NFP if you don't want your words used in print).
-
14.3% I already have.
-
71.4% Yes.
-
14.3% No
Poll: What do you think of the new police move-on powers?
Central Hamilton businesses are welcoming police being given new powers to move on vagrants, with a city retail advocate saying the previous hands-off approach wasn’t working.
On Sunday the Government announced it would grant police powers to order any individual rough sleeping, begging, or displaying disorderly behaviour to move on.
What do you think of the new police move-on powers? Tell us more in the comments (adding NFP if you don't want your words used in print).
-
100% They're needed
-
0% They won't change much
-
0% I'll wait and see
Loading…
