In mid-2023, the Selwyn Sports Trust launched a strategy aimed at bridging the gap for local youth transitioning from primary school to secondary school. “We’ve been empowering Selwyn’s primary schools for over 10 years, but we noticed a significant gap in physical activity participation when their students move on to high school,” says Mitch Prendergast, Operations Manager. “We wanted to find a way to keep that momentum going as these students enter the next stage of their education.”

The Rangatahi Strategy, designed to support all four of Selwyn’s secondary schools, has just wrapped up its first year, and it’s been nothing short of a success. “It exceeded all expectations,” says Kate Lloyd, Rangatahi Lead. “This strategy wasn’t just created by us; it was designed with the students and staff of all four secondary schools. They had the final say in shaping the events, ensuring that we were truly delivering what the students desired.”

In 2024, the Rangatahi Strategy introduced a series of exciting events aimed at getting students from all backgrounds involved in physical activity. Highlights included the Combined Athletics Day, two 6-week Quad Tournament competitions, and a transformative Sports Captains Conference at the state of the art Lincoln University facilities. The Quad Tournament and Athletics day were specifically designed to target students who had not previously been active in sport, making the events more inclusive and accessible than ever before.

“We had students from every corner of our school participating,” says Kendall Pears, Head of Sport at Rolleston College. “The Selwyn Sports Trust’s events were aimed squarely at those who weren’t already involved in sport, and the impact has been phenomenal. We’ve seen a significant increase in students at Rolleston College taking part in sport for the very first time.”

Building on the success of 2024, the Selwyn Sports Trust is committed to expanding their Rangatahi Strategy in 2025. “We’re excited to keep developing and growing these opportunities for our rangatahi,” says Prendergast. “The partnership between our four secondary schools and the Trust has been incredibly rewarding, and we’re eager to see where this collaboration can take us in the future.”

This strategy would not be possible without the generous support of the Selwyn Sports Trusts Rangatahi partners at Lincoln University and Isaac Construction. These two pivotal local organisations have been key supporters of the strategy from Day 1, and the Trust looks forward to growing alongside them in 2025. 

The Trust’s mission to inspire and engage youth in physical activity continues, and with new and innovative events in the works, 2025 promises to be an even bigger year for Selwyn’s secondary students.

Article added: Thursday 05 December 2024