From Palmy to Grammar ... but it was the best move.

In Year 11 Jack Henry-Sinclair played basketball, volleyball, squash, water polo and was the leading goal-scorer for the Palmerston North Boys’ High School First XI football team.

He earned selection for the New Zealand Secondary Schools under-15 team that toured Malaysia.

Palmerston North is an accomplished football school. They have won the National title three times, most recently in 2010.

Surprisingly Henry-Sinclair left for Auckland Grammar School in 2014.

“I wanted to play First XI at a higher level against schoolboys”, he explains.

“In Palmerston North we played in the men’s grade. The players are physically stronger, but they aren’t as good technically as the boys in Auckland.”

Henry-Sinclair admits it was tough to leave behind his family and a girlfriend (which he still has), but the decision has paid off.

Henry-Sinclair will captain the New Zealand Under-17 team at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Chile.

New Zealand is drawn in Group F against France, Syria and Paraguay. All three group games will take place at the Estadio Chinquihue in Puerto Montt as the New Zealand side open their tournament against France on October 20 (NZ time) before meeting Syria on October 23 and Paraguay on October 26.
“It’s a tough group,” Henry-Sinclair admits.

“France are one of the favourites having come through the tough European qualifying zone, the African’s are unpredictable and Paraguay will be tough.”

New Zealand have had a tough path to the tourney. Coaches Jose Figueira and assistant coach, Paul Temple, were replaced suddenly by a pair of former All Whites captains in Danny Hay and Chris Zoricich.

In May New Zealand travelled to Qatar under-prepared for the Aspire Tri-Series. They were defeated by Qatar (0-1) and Croatia (1-4). Henry-Sinclair says Qatar was an interesting experience.

“It was very different to anything I have experienced before. The weather was extremely hot. In one game it was 48 degrees. There were cops with guns in the streets, but the facilities were outstanding.”

In January New Zealand won the Oceania qualifying tournament in the Cook Islands. Henry-Sinclair was injured in the final and had to leave the field in the tenth minute. New Zealand prevailed on penalties in oppressively hot conditions.

“We have had a tough build up, but that has brought the boys closer together. We have been working hard and I am confident we will perform will in Chile,” Henry-Sinclair insists.

Meanwhile the Auckland Grammar First XI is third in the Premiership with three rounds remaining. They have a Knockout Cup semi-final against Kelston Boys’ High School on Wednesday and have qualified for the Nationals.

“I think we have a chance of winning the Knockout Cup and Nationals, but it’s not looking good in the Premiership. We are six points behind Sacred Heart,” Henry-Sinclair says.

Henry-Sinclair plays senior football as well as school and rep football. Despite his busy  he has passed all his major school exams and has an open mind about his plans in 2016.

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