“It’s not just about winning anymore. It’s about becoming better people and then better players.”
Every Friday night in Palmerston North, over 1300 young people gather not just to play touch rugby, but to connect, grow and learn. At the heart of this movement is Peter Butler, a community coach who understands that sport’s greatest impact happens off the field.
Peter started the Highbury Whānau Centre Junior/Youth Touch Module 30 years ago with just four teams.
Today, it’s a thriving competition with 135 teams, including players as young as six. For Peter, touch rugby was a low-cost way to create a structured, safe space where young people could learn social skills, teamwork, and respect.
Growing up in Highbury, a low socioeconomic area, Peter experienced firsthand how sport could shape lives. His coaching journey began with rugby league and evolved alongside his work in youth development.
Now the kaihautū (captain of the waka) at Highbury Whānau Centre, Peter leads a Māori youth organisation offering alternative education, counselling, after-school & holiday programmes, youth services, transitions and sport-based engagement.
Sport, Peter says, is a powerful tool to connect and develop young people.
“It’s not just about winning anymore. It’s about becoming better people and then better players,” he explains. His coaching philosophy is rooted in Te Ao Māori, focusing on inclusion, whānau, and values like humility and respect.
One of Peter’s proudest initiatives is a youth leadership programme developed in partnership with Touch New Zealand and Touch Manawatū. It trains 35-50 young referees annually, some of whom now officiate national tournaments. This programme not only fills a community need but empowers youth with confidence and leadership skills.
Peter has seen young men from his programme grow into teachers, marae speakers, and community leaders. Many now coach junior teams themselves, continuing the cycle of positive influence.
“We’re growing good young people who contribute back to their communities and families,” he says.
His message to other community coaches is clear: your impact goes far beyond the scoreboard.
“Coaches have the potential to change lives. It’s about being a good role model and leaving the space better than you found it.”
Peter Butler is one of the humble heroes we celebrate at Coach for Life, proof that when youth are supported through sport, they’re more likely to thrive in life.
