Adam Pearse: Is ki o rahi the solution to our sporting safety crisis?

Even without tackle at a secondary school level, ki o rahi still tests its players' physical limits as Kaharau Atutolu, left, and Paora Proctor, right, look to contain Rawiri Martin. Photo / File

It's funny how one story and one man's opinion can have parents worried they signed away their child's mental health for the sake of a Saturday morning winter sport.

Ever since the New Zealand Herald's Dylan Cleaver released a comprehensive story and an informed opinion piece two weeks ago on studies into American football players and the difference between those who had played the sport before the age of 12 and those who hadn't, it has got more than one Northland parent wondering if they made the right call by their child.

The research, conducted in the United States, broadly suggested (in Cleaver's words) those players who started taking head knocks younger are more susceptible to brain diseases and less resistant to conditions that impair cognitive function.

As American football is fairly minor in New Zealand, the warning bells shouldn't be as loud as they are for those parents in the land of the free and the home of the brave who encouraged throwing around the pigskin as soon as their child hit kindergarten.

Nevertheless, Cleaver shows why Kiwis shouldn't be so quick to dismiss a correlation with the knocks taken by rugby, rugby league and football players who have little, if any head protection while playing their respective sports.

What parents and players will have to consider is whether they are ready to take a chance on the science.

Cleaver admits this study does not mean a complete overhaul of school sport is immediately required, as there are still very important questions left to answer regarding New Zealand codes and the science applying to them.

But is it more a case of, better to be safe than sorry?

Having played football instead of rugby, I probably got off easy in the head knocks department, but when you have a goalkeeper launch what feels like a concrete-filled projectile 30 metres into the air before it crashes down on top of your skull, it doesn't tend to feel very good.

It brings us to the question of the alternative. What sport do parents turn to for their children if three of the most popular sports for boys, in particular, are deemed unsafe?

Hockey and basketball seem clear frontrunners. The latter has already begun its ascent in popularity with record numbers and rates of increased participation being seen over the last few years in Northland.

But as I saw about 40 children play ki o rahi as part of the Whangārei Primary School Sport Association Years 7-8 multi-sport tournament on Wednesday, it made me wonder, is ki o rahi the answer?

I never played the sport but I wish I had. For those who don't know, ki o rahi is a game of Māori origin played on a circular field divided into different zones. It involves two teams alternating between the roles of Kioma and Taniwha.

When playing as Kioma, the team earns points by touching a ball to one of the boundary markers and scoring in a zone called Pawero. The goal of the Taniwha is to stop the other team from scoring by pulling off a player's ribbon, like rippa rugby.

Taniwha could also score points with the ball by hitting the tupu - an object in the centre of the field which the Kioma players guarded. Teams swap roles twice in the four-quarter game.

The game is deeply rooted in Māori legend and is a real opportunity for young schoolkids to learn more about the culture and expand their Māori vocabulary.

Considered a mix of different codes, it also tests the physical skills of its players such as agility, accuracy, stamina, teamwork and communication. Plus, it doesn't involve tackling at a school level.

With other sports having more funds and participation, I don't expect a wave of players to come as has been seen for basketball or hockey. But with a growing presence in Northland's schools, ki o rahi might be the next best option in the years to come.