Missing meals is par for the course for volunteer coaches as they attend their regular training sessions.
However for volunteer coaches including teachers, parents and students at William Colenso College and Taradale High School there was one meal they didn't miss during the past eight days - a thank you breakfast
cooked by Sport Hawke's Bay staff.
The special "thank you" was part of the buildup to the SPARC Volunteer Coach Awards regional function to be held on October 17. Yesterday 50 teachers, students and community members were catered for at Taradale High School and a similar number at William Colenso College last week. Sport Hawke's Bay's Development Officer for Coaching Tim Motu recognises the role the estimated 75,000 volunteer coaches around New Zealand make to grassroots sport.
"These people are critical to the operation of sport in our country. Making breakfast for this group is a tangible way we can demonstrate we value them and we value what they do," said Motu.
The breakfast event at two schools is a new initiative introduced to highlight the contribution of volunteer coaches and if deemed successful will be delivered at two other secondary schools next year.
Hawke's Bay recorded the second highest number of nominations for the Wattie's Volunteer Coach of the Year Awards with 791 - 501 more than last year.
Waikato had the most with 922.
At the October 17 function winners will be announced for student, general and lifetime categories.
