Rutherford principal sticks to his goals

By STEPHEN FORBES

Gary Moore was coaching the first 11 soccer team at Kelston Boys when his photo appeared in the Western Leader back in 1997.

"I was also the assistant coach and selector with the New Zealand Secondary Schools Football team," the Rutherford College principal says.

"We were winning things pretty regularly at the time."

Mr Moore says the national team was getting set to play an Australian secondary schools side in two matches and the three players in the photo had all been selected for the games.

"We lost 2-0 and 3-1 but the following year we beat them over there."

Mr Moore was appointed director of sport at Kelston two years earlier by former principal Graham Henry, who now coaches the All Blacks. He helped set up the school's sports institute before leaving to take up a position as deputy principal at Westlake Boys in 1999.

Mr Moore took over as principal at Rutherford last July after Cliff Edmeades retired and says he is enjoying the job.

The former national league soccer player is keen to put his stamp on the school and has revamped its sports programmes.

"The number of students involved in sport has increased by about 50 percent. It's a good school and I'm pleased I've come here."