Sport played at CBHS
CBHS aims to provide a sporting environment which caters for the diverse and changing school community through the provision of a variety of sporting activities for all students who wish to participate in sport, regardless of ability.
Contact the Sports Department at sports@cbhs.nz
Winter Sport
Teams entered in the School Sport Canterbury Wednesday afternoon secondary schools’ competition. These matches take place in Badminton Hall, Pioneer Stadium or school gymnasiums
CBHS enters basketball teams in the Saturday Canterbury Basketball Association competition and social basketball teams compete on Friday afternoons/evenings in the competition administered by School Sport Canterbury.
The school’s top basketball team plays on a Tuesday night in the Canterbury Secondary Schools’ Thompson Trophy.
The Under 20, Under 17 (A and B) and Under 15 (A and B) boys teams play on Saturdays.
Both competitions run through Term 2 and 3. Trials for Saturday teams are held during Term 1. The school is reliant on external coaches to support the basketball programme. Parent managers/supervisors are essential for teams entered in the Friday social competition.
CBHS Cycling is broken into 3 areas – road cycling, mountain biking and track cycling. CBHS Cycling has a proud history in the sport and we have 60+ riders across all fields each year (across all age groups) participate and compete in regular events locally, regionally and national.
Road cycling is a winter sport and the local competition is the Wednesday series run by Christchurch Schools Cycling. This incorporates road races, individual time trials, team time trials and individual hill climbs over varying distances based on ability. The team is well represented at the South Island Championships (2 days 3 races) and the Southern Tour (2 days, 4 stages) events. Secondary School Cycling Nationals is raced over 3 days in Palmerston North and is the premier NZ cycling event.
CBHS is a leading Canterbury and South Island Secondary Schools cycling team. The school has been the holders of the Litolff Cup (U20 boys) at the Canterbury Schools TTT Championships for the past 15 years as well as holding the Bruce Dawe Cup for the U16 TTT at the same event since the cup was introduced in 2013.
Secondary School track cycling is a growing event as most boys’ ride track and road in the summer. Events are held at Invercargill or Cambridge. Events include 500m sprint, team sprint, 1km kilo, individual pursuit and the team pursuit.
Mountain biking has grown ten-fold in recent years and boys’ race in a multitude of events (locally, regionally and nationally) such as cross country, downhill and enduro races in varying age groups.
Christchurch Boys’ High School has a proud tradition of successful achievement at both local and national level in football.
The 1st XI competes in the Canterbury Secondary Schools’ Championship which is held on Wednesday afternoons/evenings. Upon successful qualification the 1st XI will compete in the New Zealand Secondary Schools Premiership in August. To be eligible for the 1st XI you do not have to play for the school on a Saturday but this is encouraged to support our club programme.
Our Saturday teams compete in the Mainland Football club competition in the 14th, 15th, 17th and 19th grades. These teams are open to all boys wanting to play for the school. Teams are generally of mixed ability and are run by volunteer coaches and managers.
Hockey began at Christchurch Boys’ High in 1940. It has been the schools most successful sport since then with the 1st XI winning the National Secondary School Hockey Title – The Rankin Cup 18 times since 1960.
The Rankin Cup is the symbol of supremacy in NZ secondary school hockey. Since 1960 the 1st XI has finished in the top 8 on 57 occasions, winning the Johnson Cup twice. The only school to match this performance is Auckland Grammar.
The school has now produced 31 New Zealand players including four players and the coach for the Gold Medal winning Montreal Olympic Team in 1976.
The school has seven teams who compete in the Canterbury Hockey Association competition on Friday afternoons/evenings. Trials are at the end of Term 1.
With over 500 current players and having produced 46 All Blacks, Christchurch Boys’ High School has a strong rugby history and has the backing of a supportive community.
The annual match with Christ’s College is an iconic New Zealand rugby fixture that draws nationwide interest.
More than 20 teams compete in the Canterbury Rugby Football Union Saturday competition. The 1st XV plays in the UC Championship and due to the depth of players the 2nd XV plays in under 21 Colts grade.
Trials are held at the end of term 1. A Year 9 rugby camp is held in the Christmas holidays. This is a great way for the boys to meet their Year 9 school mates. Attendance is not compulsory.
Due to the large number of boys who play rugby the club is reliant on the support of volunteer coaches and managers.
Squash is played on Wednesday after school at various venues throughout the City in Terms 2 & 3.
The Canterbury Secondary School Team Championships are held in May, South Island Squash Championships in June and the school enters a team in the NZ Secondary Schools Championship in August.
Teams enter in the School Sport Canterbury Wednesday afternoon secondary schools’ competition. These matches take place at the Canterbury Table Tennis Association on Blenheim Road or at school venues.
The Boys’ High shooting squad shoots year round and is open to boys at all levels whether new to shooting and just wanting to give it a go or wanting coaching and support to compete at the highest level nationally. With a focus on safety we shoot skeet, sporting and trap and compete in the Canterbury Schools trap shooting competition during winter. Throughout the year we shoot in open competitions which allows parents to shoot alongside their sons.
Summer Sport
Athletics has no weekly competition at Christchurch Boys’ High School with many students belonging to a club and competing in club competitions.
After the school athletics day in March an athletics team is selected to represent CBHS at the Canterbury and South Island Secondary Schools’ Championships. Those who qualify at these events then represent the school at the New Zealand Secondary Schools event in December.
The school has a strong cross country and multisport team which competes in the Canterbury, South Island and NZ Secondary Schools Championships. The school cross-country is held in term 2.
CBHS is cricket strong with 20 teams competing in Saturday competition. The boys play either all day in some grades or others just in the afternoon. T20 teams also play in the Saturday competition.
Teams are selected for term 1 competition. These same teams then play at the start of the summer in term 4. Some movement is required at senior level when these boys finish for the year.
A Year 9 cricket camp is held in the Christmas holidays. This camp also acts as trials for the Year 9 teams the following year. Attendance is not essential however.
At 1st XI level CBHS has won the Gillette Cup national competition nine times in its 25 year history, the latest being the National Secondary School Boys’ 1st XI Cup Champions for 2017.
Over 30 old boys have represented New Zealand in cricket. Cricket Draw Cricket Handbook
Teams enter in the Canterbury Secondary Schools Championship. Teams are selected by handicap. The CBHS A team (eight players) also represents the school in annual exchanges against Auckland Grammar, Westlake Boys’ High School, Timaru Boys’ High School and Otago Boys’ High School.
Rowing at CBHS has a very enthusiastic and successful squad of 60+ participants who train and compete regularly during the season. The team is supported by a number of external coaches who are assisted by a parent lead committee. The rowers train on Kerrs Reach and have an association with the Canterbury Rowing Club and the NZ Rowing Association.
Rowing is only available to Year 9 students in term 4. Year 13 students do not row in term 4 of their final year.
Each year CBHS rowers compete in a variety of regattas culminating in the Maadi Cup, which is the NZ School Championships held in March. CBHS first won the Maadi Cup in 2019 and have regularly won gold medals at this event.
Tennis is one of the major summer sports at CBHS with teams in the Canterbury Secondary Schools’ Wednesday competition. Boys practice at the CBHS courts under the guidance of Canterbury coach, Matt Meredith. The Senior A team participates in provincial, South Island and National School Championships. A team also competes in annual traditional fixtures against Christ’s College, Westlake Boys’ High School and Auckland Grammar.
CBHS volleyball teams participate in the local Canterbury Secondary Schools’ competition, which is held on Monday nights at Pioneer Stadium or in school gymnasiums
CBHS teams compete in the Canterbury Secondary Schools’ competition on a Tuesday or Thursday night at Jellie Park. Senior competitions are held in term 1, while the junior (Year 9 & 10) competition is held in Term 4.