Rugby: Academy offers new goals

Community support is going to be the essence of Hora Hora's new rugby and rugby league academy when its first fundraising event starts on August 11.

The academy, which takes in athletes from all sports even though its name suggests otherwise, has been set up due to the alarming drop off of players across sports between the ages of 18-35.

Academy founder Deon Nathan believes it is an opportunity for local sportspeople to stay in the region while training, hopefully filtering into local clubs to bring a higher level of competition.

"Basically I noticed there was a big gap between people leaving school [and progressing] through to the premier grade from 18-35," Nathan explained. "I said 'why isn't there an academy?', so we [Hora Hora and Nathan] got together."

While sporting-based, the academy aims to provide its members with an opportunity to progress on to careers with the New Zealand Army and Police.

Nathan said they already had contacts within the Army and Police who will be part of the club, helping deliver the education part of the academy's motto.

August 11 will see the academy's first fundraising event take place, with runners and walkers running a 1km loop around the streets surrounding the Hora Hora sports ground.

Nathan said the Army had backed the initiative with its runners to complete the maximum 8km run in less than 90 minutes while carrying 25kg.

Delivering the run on the day, and taking a leading role within the academy, will be NorthTec students known as development officers.

Head development officer Amelia Herbert said the opportunity that Nathan had given them was huge in relation to their development and progression into the work force.

"For the development officers that I've brought in, they're all first year [apart from one]," Herbert said. "They can't wait to get into it full swing. It's an amazing opportunity, for example at AUT they get opportunities like this all the time and it's not very often students here in Northland get the opportunity here to do this. It's really good Deon has said to AUT 'hang on we've got guys up here and we'll give them a go'.

"It's [the academy] going to be a really good thing for Northland."

To register your interest with the academy, search 'Horahora Rugby/League Development Academy' on Facebook. If you wish to donate, go to givealittle.co.nz//cause/HoraHoraDevelopment