Sport Canterbury, in partnership with our valued sponsors, are pleased to present the Sport and Recreation Awards – a new take on our traditional sports awards.

This year, we are once again, honoured to have the University of Canterbury on board as a sponsor for the Coaches of the Year Award - Awarded to two coaches who have created a positive culture, encourage fair play and have shown commitment to their chosen code, over the past 12 months. Nominees for this category can be community coaches, elite coaches or any coach in between.

University of Canterbury (UC) and Sport Canterbury have a strong, collaborative relationship that started with ad hoc projects prior to 2010. About a decade ago, UC began to work more closely with Sport Canterbury’s Community Sport team, introducing Primary School sport coaching, where UC Year 1 Practicum (field experience) students developed their coaching skills whilst helping fill the demand for coaches.  

This has evolved further, where Decile 1-5 schools became the major focus, attempting to provide children with less privilege and opportunities, the chance to participate in sport. Currently, UC is providing this sector with around 180 coaches a year, along with other coaching roles across the community in secondary schools and sport clubs.

Because of the strong relationship forged over the last decade, UC students also take internship opportunities at Sport Canterbury. These include events management, sport development and Green Prescriptions activities.

Senior Lecturer, Head of Sport, Faculty of Health Chris North says the motivation behind sponsoring the Sport Canterbury Coaches of The Year award is clear when you see how much involvement UC has with Sport Canterbury’s Community Sport team in coaching in Canterbury.

“Both the UC Bachelor of Sport Coaching degree programme and Sport Canterbury share a common ideology to provide quality people, in the form of coaches and sport sector workers. We share a commitment to helping develop people, who can support a community to thrive and enhance the quality of life for the communities they serve,” says Dr North.

“As the only provider of a specialist sport coaching degree in Aotearoa, we feel sponsoring the two coaches of the year who are being recognised for their commitment, contribution to a positive culture and encouraging fair play, is a positive way to celebrate coaching in the Canterbury community.” 

School of Health Sciences Lecturer Piet Van Hasselt – who was on this year’s judging panel – says coaches are often those special people who can make a difference to whether an athlete stays involved in a sport for their life-time.

“A coach’s job is about inspiring a positive culture, bringing together players for a common goal, whilst always considering the holistic development of the athlete,” says Van Hasselt.  

“We are fortunate to have so many successful coaches across Canterbury who lead programmes which encompass values that are relevant for life on and off the court, field and turf." 

Van Hasselt himself recently enjoyed coaching success guiding the New Zealand Men’s 3x3 basketball team to victory in the Asian Qualifier in Qatar to qualify for the World Cup finals. He also helped support the victorious Women’s team whose coach was unable to travel due to illness.

Head of Sport, Chris North says the newly established Faculty of Health Te Kaupeka Oranga has a focus on helping all people to thrive. 

“We are prioritising those who have traditionally been under-served by our sector. For this vision we need high functioning organisations, coaches and groups who understand and represent the diversity of the whole community. The aligned values between Sport Canterbury and our faculty are celebrated through these awards,” says Dr North.

Sport programmes in collaboration with Sport Canterbury support the Faculty’s focus by expanding the number of people who participate in physical activities with their communities and also those aiming to be world leaders in their disciplines. 

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Article added: Monday 02 May 2022