Walker kicks off his 'field of dreams'

Kate Dillon (left) encourages Sir John Walker at Manurewa High School yesterday. Photo / Richard Robinson

Sir John Walker went back to school yesterday, but study was the last thing on his mind.

He was at his old high school in Manurewa to launch the John Walker Find Your Field of Dreams Foundation secondary schools sports initiative.

And even though Sir John is a world-renowned sportsman himself, winning Olympic gold in the 1500m in 1976, he still needed a bit of coaching when it came to kicking a soccer goal.

Kate Dillon, Year 13 student, sports councillor and captain of the girls' 1st XI at Manurewa High, suggested he might like to hit the side of the ball when he kicked.

"And I said to hit the middle of the ball as well. And he must have listened, because it went in the goal," she said.

Seven Manukau high schools are involved in the pilot sports programme: Manurewa, James Cook, Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate, Mangere College, Southern Cross Campus, Aorere College and Tangaroa College.

Funding comes from sources including the Manukau City Council, Sport and Recreation New Zealand (Sparc), College Sport, Counties Manukau Sport and local trusts.

The programme aims to provide the schools with coaches and resources so students can get involved in sport.

"We found that when the focus on sport increased in primary schools, truancy and vandalism dropped and graffiti was down by half," said Sir John.

"Getting kids off the street and playing sport is fundamental. The kids are less violent and less destructive when they are involved in sport."

And there are health benefits too.

"Look out there," he said, gesturing towards the playing fields. "You don't see any overweight kids out there."

As well as encouraging teachers to be more involved in secondary school sport, the programme is designed to create better links between schools and sports clubs, so students can continue their involvement after leaving school.

Sports coaches in the community are being asked to lend time and expertise to their local schools, so more students can participate in their chosen sport. In return, the clubs get to find new sports stars to take on.

And Sir John - who is also a Manukau City councillor - says that although everyone wins in a programme like this, he has no plans to roll the programme out to other areas of the region or the country.

"This is where the need is, as we see it, and this is my community."