15 July 2010

IPC Campus Turbo-Charged

By Moira Blake

The banner made by IPC students in support of the Turbos team.

There was much green to be seen in the dining hall at International Pacific College (IPC) on Wednesday 14th July – face-paint, hats with green tinsel “hair”, and lots of green clothing. It was all in honour of the players from the Manawatu professional rugby team, the Turbos, and their distinctive green and white uniform. They had come to IPC for a short visit to meet their fans…and aspiring rugby players from the local community. IPC students showed their Turbo-charged enthusiasm, by hanging a large banner with messages of support for the team in the dining hall.

The Drum team’s welcome performance. The Turbos players are in green in the background.

The Turbos were welcomed on campus with a performance in the dining hall courtyard by the IPC Drum Team. The crowd then moved into the dining room where, encouraged by Classic Hits 97.8 Manawatu radio station host, Richard Dryden, the Turbos chatted with groups of IPC students all around the dining room as they enjoyed their IPC lunch.

After this, the players ran a session in the Recreation Centre for a large group of primary school children from the Lido Holiday Programme and some from local schools. Again assisted by the expert MC, Richard Dryden, the players demonstrated not only their own ball handling and other essential rugby skills, but also the ability to relate very easily to the children and run multiple activities for them. There was a lot of excited noise as the children enjoyed the varied activities. At the end of this skills session, they also had fun trying to win one of three rugby balls signed by the Turbos players by answering some quiz questions about the team. Three very happy children were the lucky winners, and the not-so -lucky were consoled with posters.

After the end of the skills session, the team performed a haka, much to the delight of Mrs Ohashi, Chief Operating Officer, Soshi Gakuen Inc, and Ms Kazuyo Matsui, who has accompanied Mrs Ohashi on her current visit to IPC. (Ms Matsui has recently been appointed as a Research Professor to Ehime Women’s College, one of the colleges belonging to the Soshi group.) The performance was also appreciated by a group of students visiting from Clark High School with their teacher, Mr Komoto.

The haka brought to an end the short visit by the Turbos, although their departure was slowed somewhat by some enthusiastic young autograph hunters.

Students and players enjoying lunch together.	One corner of the gym with the children involved in skill-building with the Turbos.

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