King’s High School

Hugh Jack

Hugh Jack cannot imagine a life without football.

His love of the game goes back to when his dad took him to a skills programme when he was just 3 years old.

He has not stopped playing since.

‘‘I can’t imagine what I would do with myself if I wasn’t playing football.

‘‘It takes up a lot of my time, it’s a big part of my life and yeah, I just love it really.’’

He enjoyed every aspect of the game, but he loved its competitiveness.

‘‘At school, every lunchtime and every break, there would just be the most competitive games out in the field.

‘‘We would come back to class and just argue about who won and all that sort of thing.

He said his work ethic was a big part of who he was, regardless of whether it was on the field or in the classroom.

‘‘If you’re going to do something, you’ve got to do it well and give it your all.

‘‘There’s no point giving it 50% and later thinking I could have done better.’’

Hugh said this year was his first playing in the senior men's team for the Dunedin City Royals.

There was no easy game at that level, but his approach was simply being present.

This year he has taken on leadership roles as deputy head boy at King’s High School and as captain of the school’s first XI.

For him, leadership was about motivating his team-mates and helping his peers to make the most of their opportunities.

He hopes to play football for a college in the United States next year.

Achievements

Deputy head boy (2024); NCEA level 1 with excellence (2022); NCEA level 2 with excellence (2023); NZQA Scholarship in Classical Studies (2023); level 2 subject endorsements with excellence in biology, classical studies, English, mathematics; NZ Football U17/U20 South Island ID (2021-24); Dunedin City Royals South Island League team (2024); Southern Football Young Player of the Year (2024); Dunedin City Royals SI League team Players’ Player of the Year (2024); Dunedin City Royals SI League team Coaches’ Player of the Year (2024); Dunedin City Royals Young Player of the Year (2022, 2023); Dunedin City Royals U19 Coastal Spirit tournament winners (2022); Captain King’s High School 1st XI football (2024); King’s High School 1st XI Football (2022-24); NZ Secondary Schools Malcolm Cowie Cup winners (2022); Southern United U17 team (2022, 2023).

Role models

Parents Philippa and Duncan Jack.

Hopes for the future

To look back and say ‘‘I gave football everything’’ and to play at professional level at some stage in his career.

Ted Menzies

Ted Menzies often finds himself in tricky situations because he says ‘‘yes’’ to everything.

‘‘I’m always desperately looking for ways to do things, but I know that doesn’t always work.’’

He said his attitude came from a strong sense of responsibility to help out where he can, even when he does not have the time.

Becoming head boy this year at King’s High School presented a strong learning curve for him.

‘‘Learning to say no was the hardest part of this year.’’

He opted to take as much advice as he could from those around him this year and worked with his peers in his prefect team to get things done.

They had the ultimate goal of being a prefect group as well as a year level that would be remembered for years to come.

He said the best part of being head boy was 10 or 12 students having a chat with him when he walked from one class to the next - even if it took a bit of extra time.

‘‘You’re talking to people and you’re actually able to see you’re impacting other people’s lives.

‘‘Especially with the juniors, I think it’s really special being able to have that interaction.’’

Ted had already received scholarships in statistics, biology and geography

He was planning on studying to become a veterinarian at Massey University next year.

He was deeply passionate about conservation of native birds in New Zealand.

He had been obsessed with animals from a young age, and was always looking under rocks, exploring the bush and bringing weird things back home from the beach.

Achievements

Head boy (2024); NCEA scholarship biology, geography and statistics (2023); NCEA level 1 and 2 excellence endorsement; Excellence subject endorsement in level 2 biology, English, painting, geography, mathematics and history; Top year 12 academic student (2023); Top year 11 academic student (2022); U18 Otago water polo team (2024); U16 Otago water polo team (2022 and 2023); Most valuable male club member Otago water polo (2022); King’s 1st V water polo (2021 to 2024); Co-captain King’s 1st V water polo (2024); Coached King’s junior water polo (2023); 2nd in Otago regional debating (2024); Hanover deputy house captain (2024).