Club out to boost sport involvement

SPORT MAD: Hunterville Sports Club members, from left, Eden Goodwin, Latisha Roore, Evan McIntyre, Ollie Richmond-Deacon, Lucy McIntyre, Brenna Ratima and Colin McIntyre [front].

Sport, sport and more sport. It's a simple philosophy the Hunterville Sports Club has implemented as it removes barriers to primary-aged children playing sport.

The club now has more than 10 teams in four codes, having just added football for the coming winter.

And having gained a suite of sponsors and by scheduling sports to avoid clashes, the club is now encouraging its children to play as many sports as possible at no extra cost.

It costs $15 for a child to join the club and they can then play as many sports as they like for the year.

"Instead of offering sports to children and the price it costs to run it, we're trying to make it so that more children can play more sports," football co-ordinator Rosie McIntyre said.

"If we can get more children playing more sport, that's good for our community and that's good for our children. As a sports club that's what we should be doing ... The club's open to the community, not just the schoolchildren."

The club has trialled a football programme and now with nearly $1400 in funding from Kiwisport Regional Partnership Funding through Sport Wanganui the club can introduce coaching and a football league with the blessing of Central Football.

Hunterville Vet Club has become a major sponsor of the club along with McVerry Crawford backing rugby, SJ Weston Chartered Accountants sponsoring netball, Richard Goodwin Contracting taking care of hockey and Peach Teats backing football, while members held fundraisers such as stock drives.

Club secretary Kerin Ratima said it meant the club could now afford to update uniforms and equipment and cover a good chunk of fees.

"It makes a massive difference. Without the sponsorship we would be operating as we were which was just scraping through," she said.

"Possibly we won't get more children playing but we'll get children playing more sports and then they can work out which ones they like. Everyone's always been really sports-orientated in Hunterville."

+Those who want to register their primary-aged children with Hunterville Sports Club can contact Rosie McIntyre on 027 2414439.