World Footy News

Kiwikick is based on the Auskick programme in Australia and is run for boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 13 years.

 

 

The pilot programme conducted in 2009 for 500 kids attracted 5000 kids in 2010, and was further expanded in 2011, hoping to attract 10,000 kids. However, the programme has been so successful, that it has already attracted 16,500 kids this year. A further 13,700 kids received KiwiKick taster sessions. And just like Auskick back in Australia, though not specifically designed for girls, the safe and fun environment is very attractive to girls and mums, with 8900 girls taking part in school programmes, and over 400 girls in after school programmes.

 

Just like Auskick, the programme focuses on developing fundamental skills: kick, catch, pass and bounce, but organisers say these basic skills are also transferrable to wide range of other sports. The programme emphasises the need for parents and communities to get involved in kids’ sports, and is run by qualified coaches, 25 of whom are female, and AFL New Zealand employees. Many of the sessions are run at local schools to reduce travel burdens on parents and the programmes are flexible to suit the availability of each school or centre. Current Kiwikick centres are based across New Zealand, in Auckland, Counties Manukau, Waitakere, Bay of Plenty, North Harbour, Waikato, Wellington, Northland and Canterbury.

 

 

The initialisation of a programme starts with a free taster session so that both teachers and students get a chance to experience the fun and learning provided by Kiwikick. The kids get their own Kiwikick pack, which includes a football and a cap. Then the programme is extended to a course of 8 sessions, with a tournament at the end. But the programme effectively sells itself as a fun and safe activity for both boys and girls, and mum and dad get to get involved and have fun too.

 

 

 

 

Hawks Cup

The Hawks Cup is a competition for older kids who have outgrown Kiwikick and want to play Australian Football at school. Because both boys and girls play in the Hawks Cup, the rules are slightly modified from Australian juniors competitions, but the resulting uptake has been encouraging- This year the programme was expanded and split into junior and senior competitions for 930 participants, including 30 girls from Auckland based schools, and 84 girls from the small town of Whangarei, 2 hours north of Auckland. A further 4000 students received a Hawks Cup taster session. With such successful numbers participation can hopefully be encouraged in more schools across the country for 2012.

 

The programme takes inspiration from the annual NEC Tassie Cup, one of Hawthorn Football Club’s other successful development programmes in Tasmania. Schools from Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch take part in the competition, and in preparation for the tournament, AFL New Zealand holds free coaching session run by qualified coaches at the schools, and sends resource kits out to all competing schools to help teachers and volunteers with their own preparation sessions.

 

The boys and girls participating get a Hawks Cup player kit too, including Hawthorn FC bags, apparel, posters and stickers. They also enjoy being able to compete against other schools in their region, and ultimately, against other top teams for the Hawks Cup trophy. But more than that, the kids who show particular talent are selected to take part in further skills training, with the aim of the boys, and hopefully one day the girls too, representing New Zealand as part of the Oceania team at the AFL U16 Championships.

 

Furthermore, boys showing particular talent can be selected for the AFL Trent Croad Scholarship. Though Australian Football players up to 23 years old can be selected, each year, three places are available for Hawks Cup participants over 15 years old. As well as the necessary skills, boys must also have the athletic qualities appropriate for Australian Football. Boys who are selected receive free travel to Australia and accommodation for them and their families whilst they undergo a week long training camp where they receive specialist coaching and training with Hawks players during pre-season. One player will then be selected to undertake a further week of elite training at the AFL/AIS Academy at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.

 

One spot is also available for Hawks Cup players to directly attend the AFL/AIS training camp. Though this has traditionally been reserved for boys, as with the Trent Croad Scholarship, since the success of this year’s Australian Youth Girl’s National Championships resulted in the selection of a few talented girls from each state being able to participate alongside the boys at the AFL/AIS Academy, it’s also possible that if any of the female participants in the Hawks Cup showed particular promise, there’s a chance they would be offered the place from next year.

 

 

 

Hawthorn Player Clinics

When the Hawthorn Football Club visits New Zealand, the players conduct various skills clinics for Kiwikick ages boys and girls in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and other major cities throughout New Zealand. The players also visit schools, hospitals and other community organisations whilst promoting both the game of Australian Football, and the AFL New Zealand- Hawthorn FC HANZ-UP programme.

 

The last time a clinic was held, Hawthorn FC’s HANZ-UP Ambassador Trent Croad and his Hawks mates Shane Savage and Jarrod Kayler-Thomson went on a three day tour of New Zealand, visiting schools in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland for Kiwi-kick and Hawks-Cup clinics. But the sporting cultural exchange was not all one way, with the students at one Auckland school performing the Haka for the Hawthorn players.

 

And account of the three players’ adventures in New Zealand and pictures of the local kids they were working with can be found on the Hawthorn Football Club website: http://www.hawthornfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/4742/newsid/96883/default.aspx

 

 

 

Hawks Active TV

Hawks Active is Trent Croad’s TV show on Hawks TV featuring AFL New Zealand local football highlights, as well as various activities surrounding the HANZ-UP programme, such as action from the Hawks Cup and some cute content from Kiwikick centres. The programme is also broadcast on New Zealand’s Sothern Cross television channel. Viewers can email their football questions to Trent Croad (hawksactive@hawthornfc.com.au) and watch his response at the end of the show. The link for Hawks Active TV is on the Hawks TV website: http://www.hawthornfc.com.au/hawkstv/tabid/12367/default.aspx

 

Hawks Active TV is part of a campaign by the Hawthorn Football Club to have a minimum of 8 live Hawthorn AFL games shown on New Zealand television.

 

More information about the AFL New Zealand-Hawthorn FC HANZ-UP programme can be found on its official page on Hawthorn FC’s website: http://www.hawthornfc.com.au/hanz-up!/tabid/15148/default.aspx