Opinion: New Zealand's youth sport is changing, are you ready?

Ethan Halaapiapi, 11, holds the ball up at the OBM junior sevens tournament last weekend. Photo / John Stone

It's often said, the worst thing to do when you have a problem is to do nothing.

Unfortunately, as the problem in New Zealand's youth sport environment has grown from a splinter to something much worse, our administrators now have to scramble to reverse worrying downward trends in participation among the country's most popular codes.

This evolution of youth sport, which was kick-started by the North Harbour Rugby Union axing its representative programmes this time last year, added another chapter last week when Sport NZ delivered a strong message to those it sees as vital to the sector's survival.

The national sporting body identified parents, coaches and administrators in a statement on Monday as key to shifting the priority of youth sport from winning and success to enjoyment and participation.

While it might be a tad obvious, having quality figures of authority among youth sport teams is essential if we want to breed a positive culture, which will give more than it takes from our young sportspeople.

Mid Northern's Kohatu McQueen (left), 12, streaks away with ball in hand at the OBM junior sevens tournament last weekend. Photo / File

Ever since the five big codes (cricket, rugby, football, netball and hockey) committed to this new brand of youth sport, it's sparked quite a heated discussion in various sporting communities on the benefits and drawbacks of Sport NZ's new direction.

As I've discussed before, the usual argument in opposition to the initiative comes from the traditionalists who believe to change what we have always done would be akin to dancing on the graves of those who built New Zealand sport into the great institution it is today.

The fire is fueled by the general consensus that focusing on participation means the drive of our young kids will dry up and be replaced by an excess of medals, ribbons or trophies awarded after every little achievement.

Personally, it seems like a lot of fear-mongering from those who these changes will affect the least.

The fact is, we have a problem with kids not wanting to play sport in this country and we have to do something about it.

If you ask me whether I think Sport NZ's moves will work, I'll tell you it's pretty hard to say this early in the process.

However, targeting parents, coaches and administrators is the only way to make real change in this space.

Tikipunga's Kiwi Duncan, 15, skirts around an Otamatea defender at the OBM junior sevens tournament last weekend. Photo / File

Kids don't not create the culture in youth sport, their parents do. Their coaches do. Their administrators do.

Last weekend, we had 34 sevens rugby teams from under-12 to under-18 pack out Pohe Island for the annual Old Boys Marist junior tournament.

For the most part, it was played in good spirit and is one of many club-organised tournaments which promotes rugby in Northland.

However, I only had to be there for 30 minutes when I saw and heard parents, coaches and administrators behaving inappropriately on the sidelines.

Kids as young as 10 walked off crying as adults strained over the touchline, shouting and yelling with all their might at kids who I bet could barely understand what they were saying.

Sport is inextricably linked to passion and mostly, it's a good thing.

But this kind of behaviour is the very reason we have to weed out the bad influences on our kids to ensure their physical and mental development is only boosted by their involvement in sport.

If it takes a few more medals, ribbons and trophies to achieve that, so be it.