Connor said he “cracked it”, particularly getting Māori All Stars co-captain James Fisher-Harris’ playing boots.
Hakinakina community news is a weekly update on our local community sports and athletes.
OPINION
There is definitely a movement in motion within the Māori sporting space.
As we all know, playing sport at any level has benefits beyond fitness. This includes the social, spiritual and mental health benefits alongside the friendships, memories and emotions that sports bring to an occasion.
Māori sport adds another layer and opportunity for our rangatahi, and the Northern Districts Cricket Association has teamed up with Auckland cricket to create the first Māori Secondary Schools fixtures for both tama and kotiro (boy and girl) teams.
Cyclone Gabrielle, unfortunately, halted these two fixtures, which were scheduled to be played last weekend at the immaculately groomed ovals at St Paul’s Collegiate in Hamilton, and Rotorua had a unique presence.
Siblings Riley (Raukura/Rotorua Boys’ High School) and Charli (John Paul College) Parkinson, along with Sadie Stewart (Rotorua Lakes High School), were selected to play for their respective Northern District Māori teams.
Riley and Charli have come up through the grades at Geyser Cricket Club and are now regular inclusions in Bay of Plenty and Lakelands under-age teams. But their latest accolades, within the ND Māori cricket culture, have special meaning to their Whakatohea whānau. Sadie, of Ngāi Tahu, followed the same path.
Rotorua cricketers Charli and Riley Parkinson. Photo / Supplied
Jeremy, the proud dad of Riley and Charli, is often on the boundary watching at the weekends, and throwing down an endless number of balls to them as they practise during the week.
Can’t forget mum Holly, who I know loves her cricket too and has been a great supporter of their playing. And their coach is getting plenty of joy watching these two develop from afar over the years.
Special mention must go to Northern Districts Cricket pathway manager Brett Sorenson and diversity and inclusion officer Kelly Grice for initiating the concept, and their chief executive, Ben MacCormack, for championing and supporting the Māori cricket space.
This is just the beginning of something pretty neat in this area that Rotorua is well positioned to have a major role to play.
I have been fortunate to have spent time with both Riley and Charli in their development and they are the perfect ambassadors to encourage other whanau into this great game!
ND Cricket is looking frantically to reschedule these fixtures to continue the momentum for Māori cricket, and give Riley, Charli and Sadie their chance to play for ND Māori secondary school boys and girls.
Also, look out in the near future as NZ Cricket looks to create the inaugural Māori Nationals 2023 Māori senior men’s district national tournament.
On the back of what was an amazing weekend of cultural sport with the NRL Indigenous All Stars and New Zealand Māori rugby league, could an Australian Indigenous v NZ Māori cricket clash be a dream fixture in our great city?
Note: Sadie Stewart is Crispian Stewart’s daughter.
