Keeping NZ footie talent safe in Oz

WNC 15Jan14 - 140114marshall HOME AWAY FROM HOME: Luke and Annie Marshall and their son Kendall are playing host to Kiwis living away from New Zealand.

For many years young Kiwis have been treading the well-worn path to Australia. Whether following the lure of better wages or greater opportunities, there are about 650,000 Kiwis living in Australia - about 15 per cent of the New Zealand population. And among the exodus is a former Whakatane couple working to ensure our youth have a firm grasp of their culture and are never in danger of losing their identity. Katee Shanks caught up with them.

Luke and Annie Marshall left the Eastern Bay for Sydney about seven years ago. Prior to their departure Annie had worked as a police officer before becoming youth co-ordinator for Ngati Awa Social Services.

Luke was born into the Eastern Bay Marshall dynasty, of which league sensation Benji is a member, and has turned his hand toward almost every sport known to all Kiwis.

Both continued along a similar vein across the ditch, with Annie taking on a role within the Wesley Mission, a church-based organisation looking after the homeless, young people at risk - any individual needing help.

Luke capitalised on his sporting knowledge and was able to work from home.
"It was while we were doing this we got a couple of calls from parents whose kids had come to Australia on sporting contracts," Mrs Marshall said. "They were saying they hadn't heard from their young ones for a while and could we help find them."

Mrs Marshall guesses through work and sporting contacts made in New Zealand, and by word of mouth, she and her husband were close to the top of the list of "people who might know".

Once she started making inquiries, Mrs Marshall said it was glaringly obvious the majority of Kiwi and also Polynesian kids were not getting the support needed to make the transition to another country.

"They were finding the adjustment exceptionally hard, especially the bulk who turned up with very few life skills and even fewer educational qualifications."

About five years ago and armed with knowledge, she pitched the idea of establishing homes for the young athletes to the NRL Headquarters.

"Not only was it about providing an environment these kids could understand, we also wanted to establish relationships between the clubs and places in New Zealand so raw talent could be fostered and the kids could arrive in Australia equipped with what they needed and with a clear pathway to where they wanted to go. And that's going right down to the Intermediate age-group."

The hierarchy was not receptive to the idea, especially as the Marshalls proposed to mix youngsters from the different clubs under one roof.
"So we kept getting phone calls from home and helped out where we could."

Mrs Marshall believes it took the two 2013 sudden deaths of promising young league players, both Polynesian boys, to help the NRL clubs realise more needed to be done.

The Marshalls now have six residential homes in Sydney for young league players, with more in the pipeline. There is also a Facebook page titled Valued Athletes and a website in final development.

"We're looking at homes in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Melbourne, Newcastle and Canberra and also hoping to open them up to youngsters wishing to take on any sport in Australia," she said.

Each of the homes are drug, alcohol and relationship-free and each has a set of house parents, all Kiwis, who help with everything. "From teaching these kids to cook to helping them get their driver's licence, our "parents" do it all."

Social events like barbecues and board game evenings are held regularly with all of the six homes involved.

"As you would imagine there's always a guitar close by.

"We provide an environment in which our residents are comfortable and also have all the support they need. And when their families come over for a visit, they also stay at the homes."

The couple and their son Kendall, aka "Shorty", have been holidaying in Whakatane during Christmas and managed to take in both the Whakatane January Touch Tournament and the National Sevens.

"There's so much raw talent here it's unbelievable. One thing the Aussies can't seem to emulate is the explosiveness and flair of our players but that is often what they are looking for."