St Bernards First XI Football Still keeping it in the family, sort of, this week's address was by Paul Olsthoorn, the son-in-law of Paddy Wells, one of our distinguished members. Paul, with his wife Melissa, coach the St Bernard's First X1 Football Team. (It could also be termed the last St Bernards football X1 as it is the one and only). Last year it triumphed over enormous odds. Paul has always been keen on football. He started playing at age eleven, played 100 games for Petone, and was Player of the Year for the Central League in 1992. After retiring from playing he turned to refereeing and then to coaching at St Bernards. In 2022 St Bernards won the National Schools Football Tournament, by penalty shoot-out, even though it was ranked only ninth of the nineteen teams competing. In itself this was remarkable, but to do it after overcoming three major challenges was inspiring. |
