Bellevue Athletic Club's Kody Smith, 10, in action at the Waikato Relay Championships. Photo / Supplied
Bellevue Athletic Club's Kody Smith, 10, in action at the Waikato Relay Championships. Photo / Supplied
The annual Colgate Games, New Zealand's biggest junior athletics competition, kicks off in Taranaki and Christchurch this weekend. Among the children taking part will be a large contingent of Bay of Plenty athletes.
Of the Bay of Plenty athletics clubs taking children to compete at the North Island Colgate Gamesin Taranaki this weekend, the largest group is Rotorua's Lake City Athletic with 48, followed by Tauranga's Bellevue Athletic with 28.
Bellevue Athletic's Rochelle O'Loan, part of the committee organising the trip, said the Colgate Games was always a highlight for the children.
"During the summer season, other than their club nights, they do the odd ribbon day and things like that which is quite special for them, getting to represent as a club. But, the Colgate Games is more representing as an area and because it's away from home and we stay there for about four days, the kids get a real sense of 'this is the big time'.
"What really kicks it off is at the beginning of the games there's a march past which is all the children in their groups walk around the track at 7.30pm on Friday. We market it to the kids as a mini-Olympics so it's really their chance to compete against the North Island really.
"It gives them confidence and the chance to use those skills in a more competitive environment while still having that club family feeling."
She said the family-orientated atmosphere at Bellevue was a "huge" part of the club's make up.
"We've actually got about half of the kids and their families staying together at St Mary's Diocesan so that gives more of a heightened family feeling. At the games, we all sit together and the families all look after each other. The parents are amazing, they all help getting the kids to events, making sure they're all happy."
O'Loan said the memories created at events like the Colgate Games were what kept kids involved and active, in athletics or otherwise.
"Athletics is quite a hard sport to keep going and it is more of a skills based sport. That makes it really good for any sport as an endurance and practice sport - it's good for netball, it's good for rugby, it's speed and it's skill and hand-eye co-ordination.
Bellevue Athletic Club juniors will be hoping for more medals at the Colgate Games this weekend. Photo / Supplied
"If they can stick at it for a good amount of years they can get that feeling of achievement when they see their personal bests are being broken and they're getting better as they get older and they're bodies are changing."
It was also valuable for the children to go up against, as well as befriend, athletes from other regions.
"There is a lot of competition and it is harder which is good for them to be challenged. There are a lot of kids who don't medal but they still come because it's that club atmosphere and it's a really special thing to be a part of," she said.
The North Island Colgate Games run from Friday to Sunday while the South Island Colgate Games, being held in Christchurch, follow a week later.
2020 North Island Colgate Games Dates: January 10–12. Location: Jubilee Park, Inglewood, Taranaki.
Bay of Plenty participation numbers at the North Island Colgate Games Lake City Athletic Club: 48 Bellevue Athletic Club: 28 Whakatāne A & Harrier Club: 17 Athletics Tauranga Inc: 13 Greerton Amateur Athletics Club: 8 Te Puke Athletic Club: 5 Katikati Amateur Athletic Club: 4 Waihi Amateur Athletic Club: 4 Pāpāmoa AAC: 1
