THERE'S ALWAYS A CATCH

Our kids aren't learning how to catch and jump. Is it a worry? Helen Laurent investigates
They can reach the highest levels of Lego Star Wars or Dragon Fable in computer games.
But many children of the new millennium struggle to kick a ball or jump through a hoop.
The trend has been obvious for a while - the Government's 2002 Children's Nutrition Survey states one in three Kiwi children is obese or overweight.
Statistics NZ studied 30 Year Seven boys and girls to find that only six exercised while they travelled to school.
Only 16 ran around or played sport at lunchtime.
Sports administrators and teachers have set up programmes to get the ball rolling for our kids. Stephanie De Frere's son, Joshua, attends Life's A Ball, a course for preschoolers which teaches basic ball skills at College Rifles Rugby Club in Remuera.
Mrs De Frere wanted to show her active 4-year-old a wide range of sports and prepare him for school.
She also sees the need for him to learn the basics like hand-eye co-ordination.
"Things are so busy these days, you don't always have time to teach ball skills or go out and throw the rugby ball around with him," she says.
"Nowadays, kids don't have the skills that we had at school.
"You hear about kids going to school not knowing how to throw a ball. They don't get out much."
Life's A Ball director Susie Rope teaches children coordination through activities such as climbing, running through hurdles, hitting a ball and catching.
The former teacher believes too many of today's children don't have these skills.
"Teachers don't have the time. The curriculum is so full, so it's down to the parents. But they are often busy. If they don't sign [their children] up to a sports club, then they won't learn."
SPARC also wants to get youngsters moving. The national umbrella group for sport and recreation has tuned up Active Movement, which offers tips and advice for improving children's walking, balance, kicking, throwing, catching and eye coordination among other things.
It's aimed at parents, preschools, playgroups and sports organisations
Spokesperson Shelly Gilliver says learning the basics helps children gain confidence to take part in sport when they get to school.
"As a nation, I think we are always going to be quite sporty. Parents will always want their children to be involved in sport.
"It's generally understood that the level of capability to perform these tasks is on the decline - the slower, more measured movements are not as well developed.
"That's why things like Active Movement have been so well received."