Iceman has high hopes for academy

Michael Jones. Photo / Richard Robinson

The man they called Iceman is hoping several of the 44 young people in his new sports academy will move on to higher honours.

Former All Black Michael Jones' West Auckland youth trust has joined Te Wananga o Aotearoa to open the Village Sport Academy, where many of the Pacific and Maori students are second-chance learners.

The 18-week course is designed to help young people aged 16 to 24 - many of whom have left school without qualifications - into higher education or get them ready for a sports-specific career.

"We know a lot of our Maori and Pacific kids love sports, so [the academy] is really a hook to engage the kids back into education," said Mr Jones.

"The trust was based on the kaupapa [philosophy] that it takes a village to raise a child.

"Sport has been good to us, so if we could bring that expertise, passion, time and energy, then we've got a better chance of raising the most vulnerable in our community.

"Get it right and there's no reason why we can't see these kids in the Warriors or the Blues."

Mr Jones has help from some useful mates, such as former All Blacks Va'aiga Tuigamala, who is on the trust board, and Andrew Blowers, the academy's head coach.

Mr Blowers said the life experience of many of the young adults, who came from lower socio-economic backgrounds, wasn't so different from that of their tutors, which made it easy to connect with them.

"I grew up with my Mum. Dad was from a hard background. I didn't enjoy school - I went for sport and lunch. But I grew up with a mum who really paved the way.

"We lived in a one-bedroom flat. I think it shows them that you may not have the flashest things but you can still succeed in life, whether that be representing your country or excelling in your career.

"Our hearts are for these kids because we know what they've been through," Mr Blowers said.

A focus on building character and taking responsibility for choices was also a key component of the course.

Mr Jones said the wananga/trust arrangement could lead to Pacific people developing a similar educational institution as a key to addressing many of the poor social outcomes that Maori and Pacific youth share.

With low tertiary participation rates and a climbing Pacific population, the sooner community leaders acted the better, he said.

"I think it's a dream of many Pacific community leaders. I think we've got to start thrashing that out. What does that look like?

"A [wananga] should be our own aspiration, too, because we're on exactly the same journey that they've been on. They've just thrashed and burned a way forward."