While we won't be having gatherings like this for a while, we need to keep our children active. Photo / File
While we won't be having gatherings like this for a while, we need to keep our children active. Photo / File
With the onslaught of coronavirus around the world, New Zealand's leaders are right to make the strong decisions they have been making.
But within our communities, as individuals and community groups, we still need to have the initiative and we have the responsibility to do what we can tocarry on as normal.
We have seen sporting codes shut down competitions left right and centre. There definitely seems to be a domino effect – once the calls start being made, if you don't conform, the risk it you end up looking like an idiot, so far easier to go along with the flow, and follow suit.
There will be some serious concerns around retaining the employment positions within many sporting codes.
A real worry, as so many great people have provided so much for our communities for many years, and now all of a sudden there will be no registration fees for all the competitors, and so no funds to pay for the people who have been propping up our sports.
We need to do whatever we can to help support and keep our sporting codes afloat, as they have done so much for our communities here in Hawke's Bay and around the country.
There has been plenty of news out there on what the sporting organisations CAN'T do – I'm looking forward to hearing the solutions – what ARE they going to do?
Those with initiative won't just curl up in the corner and sulk, they will want to do something for their codes. So look out for what they can offer up, and lets get in behind it.
There is no way we can just lose a whole winter season of development for all our Kiwi kids – we will have to get them into something.
Even if it isn't formal competition, we will have to somehow turn the situation into a positive, and create some fun games and skill development opportunities so they keep progressing and don't miss out.
Sports and schools are going to have to be smart, take some initiative, and not just take this lying down. Somehow from a community sports perspective, we need to roll up our sleeves and turn it into a positive.
Yes the national sport governing bodies may have put out some edicts, but hey, as a community so long as we don't go over the maximum public group size, we can get on and do what we like.
It might be that the kids have to train in smaller groups. If that is the case we might need more adult helpers to cater for them, so more parents might have to step up and help out.
We are in an age where we just send out kids along to a sporting event and a couple of coaches sort them out – well things might have to change, back to the old days and more parents might have to put their hand up and get amongst it.
The last thing we want is all our budding keen outdoor sports kids to be stuck inside, lumped onto video games and getting addicted to e-sports.
We have enough depression and anxiety around as it is – we need to keep everyone engaged in some good outdoor physical activity, anything will do, but we need something, especially for our youth.
Whatever unfolds we can't just take it lying down. Whatever messages we get told, we need to think outside the box, and create new ways of keeping as many people as possible engaged in fu sport and fun physical activities.
