Adams' star power is huge among all Kiwis interested in sport, not just basketball fans. Photo / Getty Images
Adams' star power is huge among all Kiwis interested in sport, not just basketball fans. Photo / Getty Images
One of the highlights of growing up for me was going along to see the English and New Zealand cricket teams train at Nelson Park in Napier.
While you quickly become numb to that 'star-struck' feeling in this job, the more you talk to the country's sporting royalty, there wasnothing to stop an 11-year-old Adam from being completely overwhelmed as he saw his idols wheel their bags across the grass in Napier before the fourth ODI on February 20, 2008.
Names including Fleming, Vettori, McCullum, Martin, Mills, Cook, Pietersen, Broad and Sidebottom soon graced the face of a miniature bat, signatures written in black vivid gleaming in the sunlight.
I remember feeling too awestruck to do anything else but thrust forward a small bat and pen for these demigods to sign. Looking back and seeing other children do the same now, I can feel that familiar mix of nostalgia and shame at not having the courage to speak a word to these guys.
Now while I'm not endorsing wagging, I did have to avoid the truancy officers to get the chance to attend the training. With a father as a principal and mother as a teacher, time off wasn't easy to get but a good amount of begging as well as few shifts on dishes earned me the goodwill to go.
The appearance of England's cricket team to Napier was a highlight in this young sports reporter's life. Photo / File
The point of this story is to highlight exactly how important these experiences are for young kids, especially those keen on sport.
Nowadays, there are an extraordinary number of ways to connect with the giants of New Zealand sport but very little of them are in person. If you live in the main centres like Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch, you may have a handful of chances to meet them but in the outer regions of New Zealand, visits are hard to come by.
Children can learn a lot and become inspired by even the smallest of interactions with their sporting heroes, All Black Jerome Kaino seen here at Paihia School. Photo / File
That's why the appearances of Kiwi NBA star Steven Adams this weekend and the All Blacks on Thursday is a great opportunity for Northland kids to meet their heroes.
Adams is in town for two basketball training camps to be held at ASB Stadium tomorrow from 9am to 2pm. Whangārei is the third city to host the basketball cult figure after earlier camps in Invercargill and Napier.
Basketball legend Steven Adams today made a historic visit to local school, Te Kāpehu Whetū, alongside New Zealand war veteran, Willie Apiata. Photo / John Stone
Only five days afterwards, a group of New Zealand's best rugby players will descend on Semenoff Stadium at about 11am for a skills and drills session with a lucky group of local kids.
It is incredible timing to have these two great institutions of New Zealand sport in Whangārei within just days of each other. It was five years ago when a few All Blacks, including Daniel Carter, visited Paihia while this was Adams' first high profile trip to the city.
Dan Carter, seen here among the children of Paihia School, was one of a few All Blacks to visit in 2014. Photo / File
So to those still circumspect about spending your Saturday or Thursday chasing around Steven Adams or the All Blacks, I would thoroughly recommend it.
Even if all you get is a passing glimpse as they board their bus home, it can last a lifetime in the eyes of a sports-mad child.
