Sports Talk: New setup for Parafed

Parafed Bay of Plenty have teamed up with Parafed Waikato to establish a new executive officer position. These organisations have led the way nationally to establish a partnership that will promote a co-ordinated, more professional delivery of strategic outcomes and ultimately more and better opportunities for our region's physically disabled athletes.

Capable structures will give us the capacity to grow fruit on a vast array of opportunities that are becoming available. National organisations such as Equestrian Sports NZ, Triathlon NZ, Sailing NZ and Basketball NZ - just some of the great examples - have created inclusion models within their sports to cater for our sector.

We will work with these types of organisations to help develop their sport locally and ensure everyone's needs are catered for.

We will also continue to work on sports that can't be immersed effectively into mainstream sports. There are many gaps to plug. It is quite exciting to think of the possibilities and what the future holds for physically disabled athletes in the Bay of Plenty and New Zealand.

The snowball has been gathering momentum over the past three years following great support from the Halberg Disability Sport Foundation and Paralympics New Zealand, which have advocated successfully to Sport NZ.

Having this support from these types of organisations has really given us the push and mandate to deliver great outcomes.

In saying this, it has been like riding a snowball too - they can either be fun or scary - it depends on what part of the roll you are in.

Parafed Bay of Plenty has also taken this opportunity to create three part-time development officer positions that will be based in each of the main centres in the Bay of Plenty. We believe this will give us the best leverage, spread, presence and understanding in our communities.

We have had such good feedback on this movement and know other Parafeds are watching. We believe it is the future for the sector and are excited and proud to be part of it.

Applications for the executive officer role are open until November 25, for more information visit www.ParafedBOP.co.nz or email applications@ParafedBOP.co.nz.

The development officer roles will be advertised in February.