Kaikohe community member Taal Smith, attended a Kaikohe Rugby Football & Sports Club committee meeting to talk about setting up an initiative to get junior basketball for year 3 to 5 students happening in Kaikohe as there was nothing currently happening for this age group.

The response was positive from the club who took up the opportunity for another code to be operating out of its facilities for the greater good. It was a win-win where the club facility was being utilised more fully and the youth benefit from having another opportunity available for them to participate in.

Leveraging off this idea, further opportunities for different groups to connect and collaborate were identified. Aaron Sadler, Northland Suns Basketball Development Officer provided balls and resources while Sean Henwood, Head of PE at Northland College supplied the Northland College Gymnasium; and Bodean Rogers, Sport Northland Energizer helped promote the initiative to the local schools.

In the nine weeks of the module operating, the young people grew and developed new skills, which saw 40 children regularly attend throughout the season. At the last session, every child received one of the balls that the Northland Suns had donated, committing to continuing practising the skills that they learnt.

“I really enjoyed introducing the game of basketball to so many tamariki in our community,” says Smith and he goes onto say “I also would like to acknowledge all the volunteers and Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Kaikohe teachers Whaea Mere and Matua Toi that helped to co-facilitate the module”.