Stephen Dods – tackling a new challenge A s a teenager from a challenging background,
by the fresh challenge. “What I saw when I first got here was that we excelled at academic and many co-curricular pursuits but we didn’t have the same impetus with sport,” he says. “Our academic staff were trying their very best to run the sports programme as well as teach, but our sports structure needed overhauling. “I felt we’d achieved our goals prior to Covid-19. It didn’t take long because we had the desire, community support, and resources to get to where we needed to be. However, the challenges during the pandemic and post-Covid really set us back and it felt like we had to start all over again. Everything had changed, particularly from
Stephen Dods, aka ‘Dodsy’, could have been heading for trouble. That is, until he discovered the power of sport. Playing cricket for his then home region of Poverty Bay and later rugby for Canterbury, Stephen’s life took a dramatic turn. “I was on the wrong path, going nowhere but sport catapulted me into a completely different lifestyle and a group of friends who were inspirational,” he recalls. “Since those days, I’ve travelled the world with sport, had some fantastic jobs as a coach and administrator, and made many lifelong friendships.” His 35 years with schoolboy, university, and club sport culminated when Stephen decided it was time to find one more challenge, leaving his role as Master-in-Charge of Cricket and Rugby at Christ’s College at the end of September – almost nine years to the day after arriving at the school campus. “I didn’t want to be that guy who hangs around a bit too long,” he explains. “I’ve got one more challenge left in me and I think the time is right – both for me and for College – to try something new. It’s time for some fresh eyes to
an administrative risk and compliance perspective.
“We’ve reached a very good point again now and so it feels like the right time to try something new.” Stephen’s list of credentials is impressive. He has played sport professionally overseas, spent six years as a sports consultant and coach in Japan, eight years in Ireland coaching and administering club rugby as well as being the Director of Sport at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, then a cherished 25 years overseeing schoolboy cricket and rugby in Christchurch. “You can make an instant difference to the lives of these
young lads by simply instilling good standards and values, and teaching them the simple things – respect for their coaches, other teams, referees, and being a humble winner and leaving no one behind,” he says. “At this level, you can see change in the boys every week. We must ensure that change is positive.” Among his many highlights during his College tenure, Stephen is particularly proud of co-founding Tamai Sports with former Head Prefect Max Goodwin. A non-profit organisation, Tamai helps those children who face barriers in trying
take it to the next level.” After nearly 14 years at
Christchurch Boys’ High School, Stephen was attracted to College
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