With around 96% of students engaged in at least one sport each year, Rangi Ruru consistently has the highest rate of sport participation in New Zealand. Rangi girls are involved over 36 sport code options. With so much participation, and under the guidance of around 130 coaches, it is not surprising that Rangi Ruru is also one of New Zealand's highest achieving schools in sport.

Some students choose to pursue their interests in sport through the curriculum. For most girls in the school, however, sports are co-curricular activities.

Research finds, and it's quite apparent to us, that physical and creative activities outside the classroom make enormous differences to the physical and emotional health of young people; providing them with the opportunities to practise life skills like leadership, teamwork, persistence, commitment and responsibility - and to have lots of fun doing it.

Sport at Rangi is as much about the team spirit and having fun as the competition and challenge.

A few of the team sports at which Rangi girls excel include hockey, touch, rhythmic gymnastics, multisports, netball, basketball, rugby, rowing, volleyball, tennis, lifesaving and equestrian.

Outside the usual athletics and swimming sports events, the school has other annual school activities, including cross country and an annual school-wide triathlon.

Each year a disproportionate number of students become local, regional or national representatives in their sport(s). These girls are supported through the SOAR Specialist Sports. This specialist programme helps especially talented sportswomen with nutrition, training support and balancing their school and sports commitments.

As well as individual and team sports, girls have access to physical activities during lunchtime and after school including gym classes (circuits, aerobics, pump, sports speed), yoga, trampolining, athletics, golf, gymnastics (artistic and rhythmical), jogging, karate and kickboxing.

Rangi Ruru has a number of excellent on-campus sports facilities for the girls' enjoyment and to help them maintain their fitness. These include the school gymnasium, swimming pool, hard courts and the specialist Fitness Centre. The Fitness Centre is an on-site gym, offering a variety of personal programmes using specialised weight training and aerobic equipment.

Sport Codes

Rangi Ruru offers many sporting opportunities to cater for the varied interests of students. These are represented at most levels and include:

SOAR Specialist Sports Programme

SOAR (Supporting Outstanding Athletes at Rangi) is a specialist sports programme for athletes who demonstrate exceptional talent, potential and determination to reach the top level in their sport/sports of choice. The majority of these athletes will be local or representatives in their discipline. They may compete as an individual or as a member of a sports team.

The SOAR Programme provides these students with additional support, information and guidance to help them achieve their goals. This is not a coaching programme, these athletes generally have this support, nor is it a programme which removes these students from their current sport teams. 

Through SOAR, the Rangi Ruru Sports Director and her team offer these students access to information, speakers and resources which help them to be the best performers they can be, inside and outside the classroom.  This includes expert support in nutrition, exercise physiology, physical conditioning and managing their busy lives.

There are limited spaces in the programme each year (12 to 15 girls in 2012). Girls apply for a place at the beginning of the year with priority given to senior students.
Please contact Jo Fogarty, Director of Sport if you have any queries relating to the programme, email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).