In every sport they were seen demonstrating outstanding teamwork.

At last week’s full school assembly, we focused on teamwork and in particular a very memorable netball coach from many years ago and her frequently used advice which included “There is no I in Team.”  She was an awesome Health and PE teacher with loads of strategies that helped develop our netball team. Mrs Steminger taught us how to throw the ball one-handed, and how to create a space – a particularly Australian strategy that made them world champions.

Mrs Steminger taught us so much about what it meant to support each other – we thought that playing in a team created teamwork, but she had a much bigger vision of what made a team. She taught us all to recognise the skills in each other and to appreciate how each person’s strengths came together.  Mrs Steminger was an enthusiastic and forward-thinking coach – she had a passion for the game and a vision to make a difference.  She helped us understand that you cannot be a team by yourself.

These past weeks we have seen many great teams working together – our rowing team, water polo teams, volleyball, cricket and Kapa haka who performed at Polyfest.  It is a gift to learn teamwork and is part of all cultures. As humans, our survival depends on teams, and it is one of the most important aspects of our education at Dio.  Our aim is for students to practice teamwork in their sports, arts, and cultural performances, at camp, as well as in everyday life.

A well-known Māori proverb about teamwork says –  nāu te rourou, nāku te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi which means “with your food basket and my food basket, the people will thrive,” emphasising the importance of collective effort and shared success. In school, arts and sport, we are all better when we do things together.

We hope that every Dio student will have an inspiring teacher or coach like Mrs Steminger whose messages they will also remember for the rest of their lives.