Calling all St Paul's Former Football Players
As a former player of the St Paul’s 1st XI Soccer team, I am appealing to you for two reasons. One is to recognise your contribution to the development and stature of St Paul’s as a highly respected football school in the country. St Paul’s is a school with a fantastic performance record at National Tournament level and furthermore has a spectacular profile as a school that has produced some of New Zealand’s most outstanding young players. This is despite being one of the smaller schools in the region.
To give you an example of the aforementioned, I have outlined achievements below:
National Tournament Performance
2007 7th Place
2008 12th Place
2009 13th Place
2010 17th Place
Individual Achievements
Year Person Profile
2005 – 2007 Chris Wood New Zealand All-Whites, West Bromwich Albion
2007 – 2008 Colin Murphy New Zealand U17, U20, Boston College
2006 – 2010 Michael Built New Zealand U17, U20, Northampton Town
2006 – 2007 Adam Thomas New Zealand U17, U20, Central, New Zealand
2010 John Penyas New Zealand U15
The culmination of these team and individual accomplishments started many years ago. You may think that your part in this success has been minimal. It has not! I see your contribution as having been invaluable and essential. Each year has built upon the previous one and it has only been with the dedication, determination and passion from players such as yourself that the standard has consistently been raised. I hope you really feel part of the School’s present soccer profile. I certainly do, remembering vividly the players of the past and the indispensible part they played in formulating this status.
I am motivated to maintain and furthermore develop the School’s Soccer profile higher and higher. “Higher and Higher” is a reference to a line from an amazing futebol song Sam Hewat (Head Boy and 1st XI Captain 2010) recorded. I wrote the words and Sam’s musical magic did the rest. You may remember when we played futsal in the Old Gym to music. Now we have our own inspiring and enlivening song encapsulating the spirit of St Paul’s. I include a copy of the song for you. Our two victories over HBHS 1st XI in 2010, and eventual 17th place in the Nationals owed everything to the message of this song. This year’s crop of exciting young players are discovering the unlimited power of this song to ignite the spirit of the beautiful game and how it is played at St Paul’s.
To maintain and take the profile of the sport higher I need some additional funds to augment the School’s existing scholarship programme. This will enable me to secure key players for the future. Clearly this is the second reason for my writing, to ask for a donation for the above cause. Any contribution would be greatly valued. I have a vision of winning a National Tournament in three years’ time. It can be done if I act now with your help.
I hope that when Michael scored for the New Zealand team against Costa Rica in the 2009 u-17 World Cup in Nigeria you feel part of, and took pride in that.
I hope that when Michael, Colin and Adam all represented the New Zealand u-20’s in 2011 and will travel to the u-20 World Cup in Colombia later this year, that you feel part of and take pride in that. When Chris lit up the World Cup in South Africa in 2010, when he dribbled past Italian captain Fabio Cannavaro and nearly scored to secure a New Zealand win, I hope that the fact that he attended St Paul’s brought you pride, because you too were a St Paul’s Soccer player and contributed to its present spirit, strength and stature.
Believe me, there are others like those mentioned above awaiting their professional and All White glory if they are able to display their talents in the St Paul’s 1st XI Soccer team.
I look forward to your contribution to St Paul’s footballing future and support of the vision I have for its players.
Regards
Mike Groom
St Paul’s Collegiate School
1st XI Soccer Coach,
1996 – 2011