What do you get when you mix sunshine, school pride, 98 competitive alumni and some very determined current students? You get the Long Bay College 50th Anniversary Alumni Sports Spectacular, held on the last day of term 3.
A huge thank you to the 98 alumni who left their jobs, studies, and “real life” responsibilities behind to lace up their boots, dust off their sticks, and relive their glory days. And didn’t the weather play its part — sunshine for most of it, and even a bit of classic Auckland rain for dramatic effect during hockey!
Thursday Night Hockey at Harbour Hockey Stadium! Things kicked off at Rosedale with the Girls’ 1st XI taking on an alumni team stacked with familiar faces. The students gave them a real run for their money, but the alumni dusted off their old tricks (and possibly some old injuries) to pull off a 6–2 win.
Next up, the boys’ alumni crew, numbers were a little light, but thanks to some heroic cameos from the women’s alumni, the match was on! In true sporting-drama fashion, heavy rain poured down, the game stayed locked, and then right near the end, the 1st XI students scored the only goal of the match. Alumni 0, Students 1. Cue big celebrations for the students — bragging rights secured (for now).
Friday was back on our LBC Home Turf.
The action returned to Long Bay College on Friday, starting with the Girls’ Football. Alumni stars showed they still had the magic. The students fought hard, but the alumni sealed it with a 5–2 victory.
Then came the Boys’ Football. With a strong alumni lineup it was looking promising. But despite their numbers, the alumni couldn’t get past the fresh legs of the students, who won 2–1.
Netball, Volleyball, and Tag Rugby Madness.
The sun shone down on the netball courts as alumni teamed up (with some enthusiastic staff cameo appearances — no names mentioned, but the PE department stole the show with some of their overzealous moves). It was a cracker of a match, but the students took the win, 18–16.
Over in the gym, the volleyball matches drew a huge crowd. The boys’ alumni team dominated with a clean sweep, 3–0. Clearly, volleyballs don’t rust.
The girls’ alumni volleyball team faced off in another thrilling battle, this time coming out on top 2–1 against the students.
Tag Rugby was up next, with alumni back on the field. It was fast, furious, and full of laughs, but in the end, the students just edged it, 9–7.
Basketball Showstopper: The day wrapped up with the much-anticipated basketball match. Alumni stepped back on court against the Boys’ Premier team. The crowd got a nail-biter: Alumni 57 – Students 55. A proper buzzer-beater finish to close out the day.
And the Winner Is…
After all the sweat, sunshine, and sideline cheering, the alumni walked away with the overall trophy, clinching it 5–4. Not bad for a group who (mostly) claim they’re “too old for this now.”
The final word? The students may have youth and energy, but the alumni proved that skill, grit, and a bit of experience (plus the occasional borrowed inhaler) still go a long way. And with cricket still to come on 24 October, the sporting bragging rights aren’t over yet!
