Making Manuel changes
SPORT Wellington’s Coach of the Month has taken up a leadership mantle in one of the city’s toughest neighborhoods.
With his wife Yvonne, Naenae rugby coach John Manuel has set up a rugby academy to assist students – and there will be no swearing.
Manuel has laid down basic rules for players to follow; and as well as swearing, players must wear full uniform on game day.
He also builds a connection between the field and classroom.
“If players don’t get to class on time, nine times out of ten, they will end up on the sideline,” he says.
Naenae College, where Manuel’s parents taught, had fallen from having 10 rugby teams to ont two.
“The kids these days have a different mentality because of games like PlayStation, and they don’t go out and run around like we used to.”
Now there are one girl and six boy teams, and Manuel wants to continue leading in the community he remembers fondly as a child.
“If you give kids the right energy, they will be positive and confident at school; and will take off after that.”
The academy’s slogan is “Pride, Passion and Performance” and as well as doubling the number of rugby players from 50 to 100, it is helped by role models from Petone Rugby Club.
Petone premier coach Dion Ross, and club captain Glen Tatara (a former Naenae College pupil), often visit the academy.
“They came from the same school, and they are a role model.”
Manuel says over the past 10 years Naenae has faced tough times.
“It’s a constant battle for a lot of these kids; it’s a low decile school, many come to school without breakfast and struggle at home.”
He is passionate about giving students the confidence to compete in the classroom as much as on the field.
“For the Maori and Polynesian kids it’s a challenge on the academic side. Many of the Pacific kids have English as a second language, and they’re battling in the classroom because they speak their own language at home.”
Manuel, a builder, says standards were slipping at Naenae before the current principal John Russell arrived three years ago.
“But he’s tidied them up, and it’s a positive change in attitude for the school.”
With his wife Yvonne, Naenae rugby coach John Manuel has set up a rugby academy to assist students – and there will be no swearing.
Manuel has laid down basic rules for players to follow; and as well as swearing, players must wear full uniform on game day.
He also builds a connection between the field and classroom.
“If players don’t get to class on time, nine times out of ten, they will end up on the sideline,” he says.
Naenae College, where Manuel’s parents taught, had fallen from having 10 rugby teams to ont two.
“The kids these days have a different mentality because of games like PlayStation, and they don’t go out and run around like we used to.”
Now there are one girl and six boy teams, and Manuel wants to continue leading in the community he remembers fondly as a child.
“If you give kids the right energy, they will be positive and confident at school; and will take off after that.”
The academy’s slogan is “Pride, Passion and Performance” and as well as doubling the number of rugby players from 50 to 100, it is helped by role models from Petone Rugby Club.
Petone premier coach Dion Ross, and club captain Glen Tatara (a former Naenae College pupil), often visit the academy.
“They came from the same school, and they are a role model.”
Manuel says over the past 10 years Naenae has faced tough times.
“It’s a constant battle for a lot of these kids; it’s a low decile school, many come to school without breakfast and struggle at home.”
He is passionate about giving students the confidence to compete in the classroom as much as on the field.
“For the Maori and Polynesian kids it’s a challenge on the academic side. Many of the Pacific kids have English as a second language, and they’re battling in the classroom because they speak their own language at home.”
Manuel, a builder, says standards were slipping at Naenae before the current principal John Russell arrived three years ago.
“But he’s tidied them up, and it’s a positive change in attitude for the school.”
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