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How much is too much when it comes to youth sport?

How much is too much when it comes to youth sport?

How to coach with a Balance is Better philosophy

How to coach with a Balance is Better philosophy

Balance is Better Principles Poster

Balance is Better Principles Poster

Creating a positive parent culture

Creating a positive parent culture

Unpacking the Balance is Better principles

Unpacking the Balance is Better principles

Running good trials and selections

Running good trials and selections

Balanced Female Health

Balanced Female Health

The Home of Youth Sport
in New Zealand

Balance is Better is about creating quality experiences for all young people to keep them active and in the game.

Coaches

The value of variety

“Variety is the spice of life” – When it comes to youth sport, this old saying is apt for summing up the benefits young people get from being exposed to a variety of sport and physical activity experiences.  A key principle of...
Balance is Better in Action

Parents vital in growth of surf life saving

Changes in focus and structure for Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ) is bearing early fruit as kids return to the sport. Over the summer months, New Zealand’s 74 surf life saving clubs offer junior programmes that help...

Coaches

Are late developers really at a disadvantage?

In this article, Dr Jason Tee discusses how late-developers may be advantaged (as opposed to early-developers) in their development pathways, and ultimately become more successful in sport. David vs Goliath… During the first week of July, I had...
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Coaches

Maximising Player Potential with Rob Sherman

This video is shared by Player Development Project In this Player Development Project Masterclass Discussion, Dave Wright is joined by Rob Sherman to discuss how coaches can maximise player potential. This interview (recorded while Rob was NZF Technical...
Coaches

Teaching athletes about winning it all

This article is republished with permission from iCoachKids How do champions behave and train? What sets apart the best from the rest? How can coaches help athletes learn these behaviours? In this article, Prof Wade Gilbert unpacks some...
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Coaches

How do I support an athlete with a variety of coaches?

We received the following question from Scott, a high school cricket coach,  How should we approach athletes who have more than one coach? I coach a couple of high school teams and a representative team. And work solely...
Balance is Better in Action

Putting the Youth Voice in the Centre Circle

Gisborne Netball Centre has leveraged the power of sport to engage rangatahi, grow confidence and change lives. The challenge: a sporting decline Gisborne Netball Centre have seen declining participation from rural communities over the last 30 years. A...
Coaches

Developing Your Coaching Identity

Every coach has a coaching identity — some just don’t know it. The coaches that reflect on “what is their coaching identity?”, tend to benefit from this reflection by being able to identify the qualities that either help...
Sport Leaders & Administrators

Meeting the Needs of Youth

Young people value sport. So why do participation rates consistently drop at similar ages? In this article, Sport New Zealand presents some research that adults need to take note of. Introduction Sport offers many benefits for young people...
Balance is Better in Action

Interview with an All Black

This article is shared by Player Development Project Dane Coles is arguably one of the world’s best and most dynamic rugby players. In the combative position of hooker, Coles regularly goes head to head with front rowers around the...
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Coaches

Youth Development in Rugby with Russell Earnshaw

This video is shared by Player Development Project. This interview features former England U18 Rugby Coach and International 7’s player, Russell Earnshaw. Player Development Project Editor, Dave Wright dives into a conversation with Russell on the types of...
Balance is Better in Action

People first: A new approach to coach development at Canterbury Cricket

Coaches have one of the biggest influences on a young person’s experience with sport. An innovative initiative from Canterbury Cricket is ensuring coaches are equipped and supported to bring the best out of the region’s young cricketers. With...
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Balance is Better in Action

Balancing hauora and wellbeing in rugby with Roos and Vettise

This article has been republished with permission from New Zealand Rugby Mental Health Awareness Week (September 18-24) is an initiative run annually in New Zealand by the Mental Health Foundation, with this year’s theme Five Ways, Five Days giving...
Balance is Better in Action

How Capital Football’s new festival puts the participant first

With the evidence highlighting a clear drop-off for participation in youth football, Capital Football knew it needed to act to keep young people playing the beautiful game. Data analysed by Capital Football showed that many people playing football...

Parents

A parent guide to child growth and development in sport

In this guide we discuss the key considerations relating to children’s growth and development that may influence their sport experience.  This guide was adapted from work by Sport Parent EU. It is published with their permission.  In this guide, parents will...
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Balance is Better in Action

All Black Will Jordan on keeping more young people in sport

This article has been republished with permission from New Zealand Rugby Coaches and parents are influential in keeping youth in sport as All Black Will Jordan reflects on his earlier days, among other Balance is Better (BiB) themes in episode...
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Parents

Female Athletes and the Menstrual Cycle

Traditionally, education around the menstrual cycle has focused on reproduction. But this can overlook the many other vital health outcomes associated with the menstrual cycle. At Balance is Better, we believe it is essential for girls and parents...
Coaches

Webinar replay: Supporting Sporty Girls

Are you a coach or administrator supporting young women to develop a love of sport? There are some important things that you should know but are rarely talked about. This webinar replay is hosted by youth sport experts,...
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Coaches

Managing the Physical Load of Female Athletes

Giving athletes appropriate physical loads is crucial to helping them optimise their experiences in youth sports. Though a certain level of physical activity is necessary for individuals to develop physiologically and improve their overall performance levels, excessive physical...
Value of sport

The value of community sport

The benefits of being involved in sport are far-reaching. For participants, research shows that sport is a form of recreation that makes us happier, healthier people. At a community level, we know sport is a great connector. Sport...

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