For many children, school plays an integral part in their overall sporting experiences. Ensuring that children have positive sporting experiences will mean more young people have a lifelong love of sport.

Recently, eight Far North primary schools attended the Far North Primary Schools Mini Hockey field day played at Taipa involving 21 teams.

The event was organised by Sport Northland’s Community Connector Lesley Wallace and as it was participation event only, there were no scores taken and no winner found – this is in alignment with what we know about what children love about sport and meeting their needs.  As adults, we have huge influences that a child may have. For better or worse, we have the ability to shape a child's experience in sport, and consequently affect whether a child may grow to have a lifelong love of sport, or not.  So focussing on effort and improvement, ensuring everyone is included matters and that children get to learn through experiencing play makes for a far more enjoyable event for children.

The students played a modified version of hockey on smaller sized grass fields, with no goalkeepers and using a softer ball.  As there is no specialised hockey venue north of the Maungamuka Gorge, this is sometimes the only opportunity for Far North primary school children to play hockey.  Playing on grass and not artificial turf, challenged the children appropriately in control the ball and this helps children learn from playing this modified game and enabling them to discover, correct their own mistakes, and improve.

Its wonderful to get feedback that indicates that the children and adults that supported had a great day “thanks for the great. Our tamariki had a blast. Great feedback from our staff” says John Windleborn, Paparore School Principal and Kathryn Carey, Pompallier Catholic School Principal goes onto say “our kids and parents loved the entire day”.

Wallace ends with “events like these only happen with the awhi from others, so special thanks to Taipa Area School for the use of your grounds, LeeAnn Jury, Taipa Area School Sport Coordinator for arranging the food stalls and to my colleague Garth Hutchinson for his assistance in running the event.”

Pictured above - students from Kaitaia Primary School and Totara North School enjoy the Mini Hockey Field Day at Taipa.