There’s so much more to sport than winning or losing. For young people in particular, the value of sport is wide-reaching, from the social connections and bonds that are formed through to developing important skills, both on and...
Tell us a bit about you and where you grew up. As a child I grew up on a farm in Mayfield, about 30km out of Ashburton. Having three older brothers, I always had to stand up for...
Recently, lots of guidance and advice has been aimed at coaches, parents, and sport leaders & administrators about how much sport young people should do, and whether young people should participate in one sport or many. This guide has been produced to shed more light on the concepts...
In this article, Sport Waikato shares insights into how adults can create a great sporting experience for our young people. So you get it. Youth sport is about fun. Competition is great, but when we creep into a...
Swimmer Cameron Leslie may be a three-time Paralympic gold medallist and world record holder but he’s quick to point out that champions aren’t made at young age. N.b. In July 2021, Cameron Leslie announced the “hard decision” to...
A knowledge of Self-Determination Theory can help all coaches to create the best possible environments for their athletes. And at every level of participation, the first step to understanding Self-Determination Theory is appreciating the importance of our athletes’...
In this series of Balance is Better articles, Sport NZ explores the myths surrounding youth sport and the shift in thinking needed to halt declining participation levels in kiwi teens. Why do people play sports? To win, to move...
Our coaching philosophy is essentially the framework around which we build our coaching approach. It’s the product of our beliefs and values, and has a huge impact on our coaching methodologies and the way we work with others....
There’s so much more to sport than winning or losing. For young people in particular, the value of sport is wide-reaching, from the social connections and bonds that are formed through to developing important skills, both on and...
A considerable amount of evidence has demonstrated that most athletes who have the opportunity to play a range of sports in their youth are more likely to achieve an elite level of performance in sport. Elite athletes with...
In this article, Sport Waikato shares insights into how adults can create a great sporting experience for our young people. So you get it. Youth sport is about fun. Competition is great, but when we creep into a...
In this series of Balance is Better articles, Sport NZ explores the myths surrounding youth sport and the shift in thinking needed to halt declining participation levels in kiwi teens. It doesn’t matter if you’re in the first...
Variety brings better benefits We know through the Balance is Better approach, that quality sport experiences can offer wellbeing benefits for young people above and beyond just moving their bodies. Playing a variety of sports helps with skill...
Parents’ motivations for supporting their children to play sport and children’s motivations for playing sport don’t always line up. We hear from Kelly Curr about why it’s important that parents ask themselves “why does my child play sport?“ Sport and active recreation...
In this open letter, we hear from Halberg Youth Adviser Support, Kiran Dixon. Kiran’s letter sheds light on some of the challenges young people with disabilities face growing up in New Zealand when it comes to sport, and draws some powerful lessons for...
Swimmer Cameron Leslie may be a three-time Paralympic gold medallist and world record holder but he’s quick to point out that champions aren’t made at young age. N.b. In July 2021, Cameron Leslie announced the “hard decision” to...
This video is shared by Player Development Project The question this week comes from David, via the Player Development Project Facebook Page: “How can I help develop a physically mature young player?” Image Credit: Sport NZ
Our mindset determines the way we learn, what motivates us, our approach to adversity, and has a huge impact on our development as human beings. Understandably, as parents, we want our children to form positive, productive mindsets that...
In this series of Balance is Better articles, Sport NZ explores the myths surrounding youth sport and the shift in thinking needed to halt declining participation levels in kiwi teens. Why do people play sports? To win, to move...
Young people are THE key stakeholders in youth sports, and gathering their input and feedback is crucial for the success of any programme. Additionally, some young people experience more barriers than others when it comes to being able...
Active Southland’s commitment to fostering youth development is shown through its innovative Rangatahi Leadership Group. This programme, designed to address the needs of Māori, Pasifika and disabled youth facing barriers to participation, has emerged as a transformative force...
New Canadian research has found multi-sport participation may act as a protective factor against non-participation in sport and physical activity later in life. The Monitoring Activities of Teenagers to Comprehend their Habits (MATCH) study examined the sport participation...
Our coaching philosophy is essentially the framework around which we build our coaching approach. It’s the product of our beliefs and values, and has a huge impact on our coaching methodologies and the way we work with others....
Coaches, what do you need to know to support the young women you coach to be safe, healthy and to reach their potential (in sport and life)? Yes – irrespective of gender, there are some universal truths to what...
Sport NZ
57 Min Watch
Editor's Picks
A collection of articles curated by the Balance is Better team.
In this article, Sport Development Consultant, Charissa Barham shares some valuable ideas on creating positive sporting environments and understanding our purpose as...
This article is republished with permission from iCoachKids In this article, Simon Toole discusses coaching feedback and intervention from the sideline. The...
* Important clarification: we are not talking about poor skill execution, but more about poor game-decisions. In this article, Dr Sergio Lara-Bercial...
In 2015, Chris Harwood and Camilla Knight, published an academic paper titled, Parenting in youth sport — a positioning paper on sport parents and parenting...
In this Q&A, we hear from Dan Stamp, mental skills coach and Unitec lecturer, about his observations of New Zealand secondary school coaches. Dan, talks to Nicole Youman, Community Coaching Manager at Hockey New Zealand, about the issues these coaches...
Being a parent-coach presents a unique set of challenges. Coaching is all about relationships, but sometimes the relationship between a parent and child poses different demands to that of an athlete and their coach. Balancing both can be...
In this Q&A video, Sport Development Consultant Kelly Curr talks to Neuroscience Trainer Kathryn Berkett to unpack the topic of resilience in sport and education, building resilience in children, and how youth sport can be such a great place for young people to develop...
In this article is a response to the following question, submitted to the Balance is Better team: Help, my boy is not as talented as other players (including his siblings) and he now knows it. How do I help...
This article is shared by Player Development Project Communication is a crucial element of effective coaching. In this article, Professor Stephen Rollnick challenges traditional methods of coach communication and offers some practical solutions for coaches to improve player relationships. I...
In this series of Balance is Better articles, Sport NZ explores the myths surrounding youth sport and the shift in thinking needed to halt declining participation levels in kiwi teens. It is well known that when young people...