Hawks sign Kiwi to International Scholarship

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Hawks sign Kiwi to International Scholarship

Authored by: Anonymous (Anonymous User)
on Tuesday, November 17 2009 @ 05:52 am ACDT

Kurt was sighted by the Hawthorn Talent Identification team at the Australian National U/16 basketball championships in Tasmania, in which NZ had a team playing.
Hawthorn contacted their NZ talent identity people who tracked him down. He was invited to train with the Waikato provincial team and as a true sportsman, his athletism allowed him to quickly adapt to the new code. Only a 14 year old he did not play for the senior Waikato team but has trained with them.
Hawthorn have made a brave bold move that will only enhance the strength of Australian Football in New Zealand and Oceania.

Hawks sign Kiwi to International Scholarship

Authored by: Troy Thompson
on Sunday, November 29 2009 @ 09:22 pm ACDT

Thanks Jim for the background. Basketball in Australia and NZ might become like the GAA in Ireland looking around for those nasty AFL scouts.

Interesting article today showing a NZ media opinion on what Hawthorn and the NZAFL have put together http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/...d=10612332

Hawks sign Kiwi to International Scholarship

Authored by: Brett Northey
on Sunday, November 29 2009 @ 11:06 pm ACDT

Yeah that article and one cited by Peter in another comment show some of the possible benefits of all this. Worth quoting some of them here for our own record:

Garry Carnachan, executive director of the New Zealand Secondary Schools Sports Council, said Aussie Rules had to meet some criteria before it became the 43rd sport sanctioned to be taught in New Zealand schools.

Now it is available for all schoolkids to have a go - and Carnachan think it will become popular.

"We've always said that if it wasn't called Aussie Rules New Zealanders would have been playing it years ago."

and also this:

The Hawks are certainly making an investment in New Zealand -- it has two part-time scouts in the country now answering to east coast recruiting manager Graham Wright, is lobbying the AFL to provide the fiance for the appointment of two AFL NZ development officers and will spend six-figure sums each year to support its various programs and scholarships but they are certainly expecting a return.

and:

The truly critical breakthrough, though, is not the NZSSSC's official endorsement of the Hawks Cup, but an undertaking to add AFL football to the school sports curriculum in 2011 if the competition is deemed a success next year.

There are 42 sanctioned school sports in New Zealand at present. AFL football would be the 43rd. In a 40-week school year some serious jostling for prominence will still be required but as Hawthorn's general manager of personnel and strategy, Chris Pelchen, says, all schools have to expose all of their students to sanctioned sports. "Every secondary school child will be exposed to AFL football. "Every one of them," Pelchen said.

---
Brett Northey - Co-founder and Chief Editor of WFN

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