Sport NZ chief executive Peter Miskimmin made an appearance in front of Sport Northland staff in Whangārei on Thursday to outline the organisation's new direction. Photo / Tania Whyte
Sport NZ chief executive Peter Miskimmin made an appearance in front of Sport Northland staff in Whangārei on Thursday to outline the organisation's new direction. Photo / Tania Whyte
Sport New Zealand's plan to reinvigorate youth in sport is in motion in Northland after a presentation was made by its chief executive on Thursday.
Sport NZ chief executive Peter Miskimmin spoke to range of Sport Northland staff and people from the sporting sector as part of a nationwide tour explaining Sport NZ's new strategic plan 'Every Body Active' for 2020-24.
Miskimmin, a former Olympic Games hockey player, was hopeful the new strategy would increase participation in sport for athletes in their teenage years. Photo / Tania Whyte
The crux of the plan focused on reversing declining rates of participation in tamariki (children 5-11 years) and rangatahi (young people 12-18).
Sport NZ's Active NZ data showed that at ages 12 to 14, 96 per cent had been active in the past seven days with the age group on average taking part for 12 hours per week.
By the time they reach 18-24, only 73 per cent are active each week and the duration had more than halved to 5.5 hours.
"The idea is to try to galvanise people around our vision of people being active and also around a strategy our partners can get behind," Miskimmin said.
"The offering that [young people] are getting doesn't meet their needs, they are getting turned off by over-competition, the focus on winning at all costs, early specialisation, it just burns them out and they are not enjoying it."
A large crowd of Sport Northland staff turned out on Thursday to here Miskimmin speak. Photo / Tania Whyte
At the beginning of the year, North Harbour became New Zealand's first provincial rugby union to dissolve its junior representative programme for children under 14. The introduction of non-contact Rippa rugby for boys aged 8-13 had also resulted in a 22 per cent increase in junior club registrations.
Miskimmin said he encouraged other sporting organisations to make similar moves to address the declining rates, but said different organisations would employ different methods to do so.
"The idea now is to make the whole of youth sport inclusive not exclusive ... the next Dan Carter is not going to be picked when he's 11."
Last month, it was confirmed New Zealand Cricket, NZ Football, Hockey NZ, Netball NZ and New Zealand Rugby had signed a statement of intent to make major changes to the way kids play sport so it was more inclusive and not just focused on the winners.
Sport Northland chief executive Brent Eastwood said the sport sector had been guilty of assuming what young people wanted in sport, which had added to the decline.
Sport Northland chief executive Brent Eastwood (right) said his organisation was determined to do better for youth in sport in the region. Photo / Tania Whyte
"What we've heard is that the drop-off is happening because the organisations are not providing what [young people] want, it's too competitive, it's not fun and you want to [play] with your mates," he said.
"Yes, we want to keep score and know who's won, but actually it's not the be all and end all in what we want to do."
Eastwood said Sport Northland would be working with regional sport organisations and schools to advise appropriate changes for specific communities across the region.
