Senior sports competitions are returning to Northland, much to the relief of Sport Northland's chief executive Brent Eastwood. Photo / John Stone
Senior sports competitions are returning to Northland, much to the relief of Sport Northland's chief executive Brent Eastwood. Photo / John Stone
It's fantastic to see sport back under way at both a community level and a national level after the lengthy absence due to Covid-19.
As sports-lovers, it is incredible how much we must have taken both participating and watching sport for granted during the lockdown period - so much so that the Blues were able to sell-out their first home game of the Super Rugby Aotearoa competition last weekend, with the Highlanders also close to doing the same.
Northland's Tom Robinson, seen here playing for the Blues against the Hurricanes in Auckland on Sunday. Photo / File
Watching live sport is certainly not something to be taken for granted moving forward!
It remains to be seen whether the major Northland winter sports codes will see an increase in participation at a community sport level in their abbreviated seasons, many of which are already under way, at least in the adult competitions.
While the Covid-19 crisis has been hard on the sports organisations financially, it has also brought many of them closer together.
The need to collaborate has never been greater, and it warms the heart to see the five codes that are the major users of Kensington Park come together to agree on a timeframe for the operation of their youth competitions for the rest of the year.
An agreement has been signed between Northland's major sports codes to see community sport return to Whangārei's Kensington Park (seen here). Photo / Michael Cunningham
With facilitation from the Northland Sports Coalition, Northland Cricket, Hockey Northland, Whangārei Netball Centre, Northern Football Federation and Northland Rugby Union - along with Whangārei District Council - have signed an agreement that sets out the guidelines for the return of community sport at Kensington Park following the lockdown.
The agreement effectively sets out that the winter sport codes at Kensington Park will play in terms two and three, while cricket will be restricted to term four this year and term one in 2021.
Furthermore, the agreement sets out a sports season crossover period of four weeks during September/October where maintenance and preparation of the fields and facilities will be undertaken by council and its contractors.
It's important to note that although the guidelines have been developed specifically in response to Covid-19 in order to inform the 2020 winter to summer season transition, the organisations conceded that the sport season transition issue is a long standing one in Northland and NZ community sport.
Therefore, the guidelines and the process used to develop them will become a benchmark which can be adapted and improved in the future.
This is great news for the future of all five sports codes. It aligns very well with the "Balance is Better" philosophy being promoted by Sport NZ and Sport Northland, whereby young people are supported to participate in a range of activities and to play multiple sports, and sports organisations provide leadership to support changes to competition structures that promote fun, enjoyment and athlete development opportunities.
Sport Northland's chief executive Brent Eastwood. Photo / Tania Whyte
I personally believe that if these sports codes can build on this start and this commitment to the "Balance is Better" philosophy, the age-old issue of teenage drop-off in sport can be reversed over time.
There is much to be done, but this is a fantastic start for sure.
One last reminder to sports organisations out there – the Community Resilience Fund being administered by Sport Northland closes tomorrow at 5pm. Organisations can apply for fixed costs incurred during the April-June period, with up to $40,000 for regional organisations and $1000 for clubs.
More information is available on the Sport Northland website or by emailing funding@sportnorth.co.nz.
