Awards were given for Dodge of the Day, Fair Play, Teamwork and the winning teams from each division. Photo / Supplied
Awards were given for Dodge of the Day, Fair Play, Teamwork and the winning teams from each division. Photo / Supplied
Comment:
Sport Whanganui is all about activating, connecting and strengthening our communities to enhance their wellbeing.
To do this it is important to collaborate with different groups in our communities to encourage and support their work that aligns with Sport Whanganui's purpose.
One of these groups is the Youth Empowering Sport Squad, which is made up of secondary school students who have a passion for expanding opportunities for rangatahi and tamariki to get active.
Dinelle Saunders, Sport Whanganui's Tamariki Activator, works closely with the Youth Empowering Sport Squad (YESS.)
Dinelle, and others from the Sport Whanganui team, once again got behind the YESS led Whanganui Secondary School Dodgeball Tournament, a free annual event in its third year.
Record numbers and fun had at the Whanganui Secondary Schools Dodgeball Tournament. Photos / Supplied
The Youth Empowering Sport Squad funds the annual event and the squad take up the roles of refereeing and generally managing the event, with Sport Whanganui in the background.
The key to the partnership is giving YESS the space and authority to lead, and they did a fantastic job!
The 2021 Whanganui Secondary Schools Dodgeball Tournament, held on August 9, saw the largest participation so far in its three-year history.
What is dodgeball, I hear you ask?
Dodgeball for the uninitiated, is a fun, fast ball game and the only items required are balls, cones and a volleyball court-sized space.
No need for nets or any fancy equipment. There are six players aside and the cones from the centre line, a ball on each cone – three for each team to start.
Players must pick up a ball to their right and the aim is to hit a target, the target being the opposing team's players. If a ball hits you, you're out! Add to this that anyone can throw a ball at any time, and chaotic fun reigns. Needless to say, the games are short.
With over 100 participants competing this year, Jubilee Stadium was humming.
Awards were given for Dodge of the Day, Fair Play, Teamwork and the winning teams from each division. The senior division was taken out by Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Tūpoho - Kaha, while the Junior division winners were made up of a combined team from Whanganui City College and Whanganui Girls' College - Mixed B Team.
Players must hit opposition players with the yellow balls to knock them out of the game. Photos / Supplied
The quality and speed of performance in this tournament always makes it a thrilling watch – spectators were encouraged to stay alert to avoid rogue dodgeballs though.
When the fun and action is over it's great to reflect on the purpose, getting more rangatahi active and engaged in active recreation.
The Youth Empowering Sport Squad definitely hit their target. A huge thanks to the members of YESS for all the hard work: Morgan-lee Cassidy, Katie Ramage, Isis Dennison-Downie, Sophie King, Eloise Bradshaw, Abbey Peters, Mataamua Biddle-Amaroa Nicholls, Lachlan Fisher, Flynn Johnston, Paris Munro and Mackenzie Morgan.
