Youth sports training gym growing rapidly

Hockey players Scott Hines, Kaitlin Cotter, Rileigh Knapp and Dylan Thomas undergoing beginner technique instruction at a youth athlete facility in Hawke's Bay. Photo/Supplied

A temporary youth athlete training gym in Hastings is expanding after seven months due to popularity.

Hawke's Bay Community Fitness Centre Trust has been running youth athlete development programmes out of a temporary facility at the Hawke's Bay Regional Sports Park since December.

This programme is the first step in a proposed $15 million Hawke's Bay Community Health & Sport Centre.

Trust health and sport development manager Marcus Agnew said the facility had become so popular, with about 90 students using it before and after school every week, that they had to expand.

The trust is currently working on plans and is about to apply for resource consent to double the length of the gym.

The programmes have allowed young athletes, in a variety of sports, to condition their bodies to prevent injury and learn about their nutritional needs at different points in their sporting preparation.

"Ninety per cent of them had never been in a gym before," Mr Agnew said.

"The services that are coming out of it are something not previously accessible in Hawke's Bay."

Mr Agnew said the facility was fantastic and he never imagined it would be so popular or successful.

"What I'm really surprised about is the pure enjoyment of the athletes . . . the trainings aren't designed to be fun."

Without specialised training many of these young people would not reach their potential, he said.

"These kids are showing real talent. We want to give them every chance.

"We help them with strength training, stamina, nutrition advice, life coaching and sport psychology - the things they need to make sure they are performing at their best and quality movement patterns to protect their bodies from injury."

Two users, Olivia Ward and Grace Gibson, who head to the United States for four-year hockey scholarships near the end of the year, said they had been benefiting from the programme.

Grace said the high performance programme meant they would not be "starting from behind" when they reached the US.

"We really are fitter and that is a real help in our sport," she said.

"It means we are better able to work on our skills.

"Our base foundation is so much better; now we are set to reach the next level."

Netballer Asher Grapes, 16, said she had not realised how much strength training would help in her sport.

Fellow netballer Imke Kitchen said she was a lot stronger and more stable.

"It gives you heaps more confidence."

The development programmes have also recently been endorsed by High Performance Sport NZ.

The Hawke's Bay Community Health & Sport Centre project is being led by Sir Graeme Avery who established AUT Millennium Institute on Auckland's North Shore.

Once built the young athletes will make up 15 per cent of all users.

The full facility will work as a sport and health hub, connecting sporting bodies, community facilities and health organisations across the region.