AFL New Zealand in partnership with Waitakere Sport are currently conducting the Waitakere Secondary Schools Play AFL Pathway project.
The Kiwisport funded project includes delivery of any number of the AFL NZ Secondary School programmes that can be delivered to schools that either link with curriculum or competition based
Waitakere College year 13 PE classes through the Play AFL Pathway Project are planning to implement an AFL Lunchtime competition in term 3. This is based on the AFL House Rules programme for all year 9 and 10 classes who have commenced Introduction to AFL.
The outcome for the year 13’s is to increase participation at their school and assist with the creation of a viable pathway for their students to continue playing sport. The goals for Waitakere College is to enter both boys and girls teams into the Junior Hawks Cup in term 4 and provide their students with the opportunity to participate in the new AFL New Zealand Youth Competition.
The AFL House Rules Programme focuses on providing students with easy access to participate in the new and dynamic sport of AFL. The format is perfect for competition between classes or houses and can be played by boys, girls or in a mixed format that utilises touch, tag or tackle modifications. It’s a new fun way to get more kids, more active, more often and improve the skills of Kick, Catch, Pass and Bounce at the same time.
Read More: AFLNZ excited to announce Youth Competition
The Waitakere project has also seen a number of schools take on AFL Coaching or leadership role to either coach the AFL Kiwikick Programme or organise and run an AFL House Rules event at their school. AFL Leadership takes on the concept of students provided with leadership skills and the capability of running a tournament within their own school or at local primary and intermediate schools. Sessions focus on the elements of game understanding, coaching, umpiring and game and event management.
Project achievements to date:
- Green Bay High School Coach the Coaches delivery to students and subsequent coaching to Blockhouse Bay Intermediate.
- Previous Green Bay High School Gateway students now AFL NZ employees.
- Kelston Boys High School sees their coaches commencing delivery of the AFL Kiwikick Programme to Kelston primary.
- Rutherford College staff conducting PD
- Henderson High School students in AFL leadership programme and running AFL House Rules competition for all year 9 and 10 students at the school.
The Play AFL Pathway project and subsequent delivery of sessions and competitions has seen 7 Athletes from Waitakere Secondary Schools selected for National representation in AFL.
National Representatives:
U18 NZ Kahu:
Rutherford College Olivia Atkins
Henderson High School Ivy Kapeli Esera
Waitakere College Alexandria AhChee-Wilson
U16 NZ Hawks:
Green Bay High School Nathan Halloran-Mclean
Green Bay High School Jack Morris
U18 NZ Hawks Wider Squad:
Green Bay High School Carlos Donnell-Brown
Waitakere College Mitchell Te Whata
Through the Pathway Project and the newly launched Youth Competition we hope this list of representative honours grows in Waitakere.
Current schools involved in the project:
Rutherford College
Green Bay High School
Kelston Boys High School
Henderson High School
Liston College
Waitakere College
Schools to soon be involved are:
St Dominic’s College
Kelston Girls High School
If you would like to know more about how you can get your School involved in the AFL New Zealand Secondary School Programmes having AFL delivered at your school and provide your students with the opportunity to play AFL please contact Mick Coultard National Secondary Schools Manager on mick.coultard@aflnz.co.nz or 09 213 3251 for further information.
