With the focus on the World Cup over the last few weeks, it is timely to celebrate one of our alumni who attended OHS in the 1960s.

Kevin Curtin played in the Onehunga High School Junior A team in 1962 and was a member of our 1st XI football team in 1963. He was in Form 4 (Year 10) that year.

The Onehunga High School football teams – often called Soccer teams in the 1960s, drew players from the local clubs: Eden, Onehunga-Mangere, Mt Roskill and Cornwall (now Onehunga Sports). Students often played for OHS in the morning and their clubs in the afternoons. Kevin Curtin started playing his Junior football at Onehunga Mangere AFC and his Senior football at Courier Rangers, but in 1970 he transferred to the National League side, Mt Wellington AFC. They won the National Championship in 1972 and the Chatham Cup in 1973. In 1974 they again won the National Championship.

From 1970 until 1977 Curtin was the All Whites goalkeeper, winning 18 caps for New Zealand in full internationals and 7 additional appearances in non-cap-earning matches. After retiring  Kevin has remained involved in New Zealand football through community and club activities. In the 2020s he has been associated with Papatoetoe AFC – participating in matches against former teams and informal roles mentoring young players.

BACK ROW; K. Hamer, P. N. Rowe,  K. Curtin, R.L. Johnson, J. Jones,  Mr R. L. Jones (Coach)

FRONT ROW: B. Jones, P. Keane, T. W. Gordon, D. A. Mortimer (Capt), C. M. McKenzie,  M. P. Jenner, J. R. Hood