Westlake Boys' High School's new cork and rubber-based FieldTurf NZ artificial turf is one of the first to be installed in New Zealand and the recent opening event was a fitting tribute to mark the celebration of this milestone in Westlake sporting history.
The Westlake First XI football squad faced a Westlake recent leavers' Invitational XI in a fierce but fair match on the new turf. Many parents and supporters turned up to watch the curtainraiser between WBHS football institute Year 9-10 teams and it soon became clear that Westlake's football future is in good shape with the budding players showing off their skills on the new all-weather home turf.
The traditional Maori blessing lead by Westlake's kaumatua Bert McLean and his wife Val saw players of both teams in the main game walk across the pitch imprinting their footsteps before Westlake's current players performed the Westlake haka to their opponents to conclude the official part of the ceremony.
Although the scoreboard might have shown otherwise, Westlake's First XI impressed against a competitive Invitational XI, which included New Zealand U20 squad members Judd Baker and last year's captain Sam Brotherton, as well as Andrew Cowell, one of Westlake's old boy staff members. New Zealand Schoolboys captain Joe Dawkins, who recently returned from Florida International University's NCAA Division One team, and Auckland City keeper Louie Caunter were also part of a team filled with prominent old boys.
