Issue 51 : 22 March 2020
Talofa Lava, Kia Orana, Malo E Leilei, Tena Koutou, Hello ...
... and welcome to the latest issue of “For The Love Of The Game”, the official e-zine of the New Zealand Amateur Sport Association Inc. We hope you enjoy reading the articles below.
If you have any feedback on this issue, ideas for future articles, or would like to contact the Editor, please click here. And, you are invited to forward the e-zine to others you know, who may be interested in reading it.
The Association acknowledges the challenges being faced by all sporting communities at this time. We will continue to advocate for the physical and social benefits which are provided by New Zealand's many and diverse amateur sport organisations.
If you are interested in applying for membership of the Association, please click here.
Annual General Meeting, 28 April 2020 ...
NOTICE is hereby given that the fourth Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the New Zealand Amateur Sport Association Inc., will be held on Tuesday, 28 April 2020 at 5.30pm in the Scott Room at the Wellesley Club, Maginnity Street, Wellington.
The AGM will be held (or may be postponed) following consideration of any Ministry of Health guidelines that may apply to public gatherings on the scheduled date.
Association Proposes Urgent Relief Package For Community Clubs ...
In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the Association has developed a three-prong proposal for local and central government to consider, to support incorporated community sports clubs. The package is based on the premise that limits on usual club activity, when combined with the economic stress of club members, will create a severe financial strain for all clubs for at least the next 12 months, (and quite possibly longer).
Firstly, the Association proposes that eligible clubs receive a $1,000 emergency cash grant from central Government to be applied to the general purposes of the club. Clubs will be solely responsible for determining how and where the emergency grant is used. The estimated cost of this grant is $7.5 million, (less than one-tenth of one per cent of the Government's recently announced economic rescue package).
Secondly, the Association has written to the Registrar of Incorporated Societies, requesting a deferral (for 12 months) of the financial reporting requirements for incorporated sports clubs (to preserve their legal status), given they may be unable to meet to fulfil their annual obligations.
Thirdly, the Association recommends that local authorities waive the usage fees (if applicable) for sports clubs which use community-owned playing fields or facilities, for a period of at least six-months. This will enable clubs (should the regular season commence), to minimise this cost.
You can listen to Association Chairman, Gordon Noble-Campbell discuss the package on Radio Sport's "Weekender Show" with Jim Kayes, by clicking here.
Sport Club Dissolutions Continue Apace ...
Nearly one-third of the Incorporated Societies dissolved by the Registrar since 1 January 2020, were Sports Clubs. 15% of the clubs dissolved were Rugby Clubs, 8% were Soccer Clubs, 8% were Tennis Clubs, 7% were Golf Clubs and 7% were Hockey Clubs.
In December last year, the Association wrote to Minister Kris Faafoi, suggesting that the proposed reform of the Incorporated Societies Act 1908 required further review and consideration, to lighten the regulatory burden of community sports clubs who rely on enthusiastic volunteers to meet their regulatory requirements.
As referred to above, a suspension of the requirements of section 23 of the Act is a practical way for the Registrar of Incorporated Societies to minimise further dissolutions, given the current environment where the ability for sports clubs to hold formal meetings to fulfil their regulatory obligations is severely compromised.
“FairPlay” Vouchers Help 56,000 Low-Income Kids Play Sport ...
As part of the Queensland Government’s 10 Year sport and active recreation strategy announced in July last year, $150 FairPlay vouchers are now being provided for more than 56,000 children from low-income families to participate in sport, as well as $500 FairPlay+ vouchers for those facing the greatest financial barriers.
The vouchers can be used towards membership, registration or participation fees with registered activity providers (and cannot be used for sporting equipment or uniforms). If the fees are more than $150, the difference needs to be paid by the child’s family. There are 4,600 registered activity providers, covering over 120 sporting codes, participating in the scheme.
The scheme is an elegant way of ensuring that financial barriers are removed which would otherwise prevent families being part of sports clubs in their community, while also providing sports clubs with a much-needed vote of confidence (and direct financial support from the Government) in providing a valuable social service for youth and their families.
The strategy could clearly work well in New Zealand if the Government was willing to allocate $8.4 million to a similar scheme. New Zealand’s Minister for Child Poverty Reduction might consider how the scheme could apply to New Zealand’s community sport organisations.
Meat Processing Plants Play For St. John ...
The first football game (played under “the Australian rules”) between teams from the Smithfield and Pareora Freezing Works in South Canterbury, is recorded as having been played 112 years ago, in 1908. On that occasion, Smithfield won by 33 points to 25. Smithfield’s history dates back to the late nineteenth century, while the Pareora works were established in 1904, with Pareora famously hosting the visiting British Football Team in June 1908.
(The first football match between Smithfield and Pareora was played in 1908)
While the origins of the Rugby Shield played between the two meat-processors is a little unclear, prior to this year the match was last played 34 years ago, in 1986. Last Sunday, the teams took to the field once more, this time to raise funds for St. John Ambulance, with Smithfield once more receiving the victor’s laurels, winning the match by 20 points to 5.
(The Canterbury Frozen Meats factory at Pareora, pictured above, was opened in 1904)
You can read the full story, by clicking here.
Community Sport Postponement Causes Concern ...
Club and community rugby has been cancelled until next month due to COVID-19. School Sport New Zealand has also suspended all events on its national calendar. Both School Sport New Zealand and New Zealand Rugby will review their postponement decisions in April. On Wednesday last week, the Association Chairman, Gordon Noble-Campbell, spoke to Susie Ferguson on "Morning Report". You can listen to their conversation, by clicking here.
Survey Says Average Amount Spent Nationally Is $800 Per Child ...
A recent Sport Australia survey has found that the average amount spent on sport per child nationally was around NZ$800, which is a cost some families say they cannot afford. In lower socio-economic areas, it is reported that 60 per cent of families are relying on government assistance to help pay club registration costs.
Some clubs offer reduced fees if parents register as volunteers, although many clubs also have payment plans by which costs are spread over a season. One report suggests that over a three year period, soccer registration fees had tripled in price, with some soccer development programmes now costing between A$1,000 and A$2,000 per child.
You can read more, by clicking here.
From The Archives ...
PAYING FOR SPORT
ASHBURTON GUARDIAN, VOLUME XLII, ISSUE 9387, 17 NOVEMBER 1921
SEVEREST TAX ON THE YOUNG
With the cost of living coming down, many people, especially young people, are asking when the decline is going to affect the cost of active participation in sport and games.
"Everyone seems to want to play harder now that the war is over" said one Ashburton retailer in commenting on the great demand for sporting goods. "For three or four years one half of the country's youth was away at the war and the other and fairer half had not much heart for games. The boys certainly enjoyed a little football at the front, but cricket and tennis were naturally out of the picture. Naturally they, want to paint-in-thick now, to brush over past forced omissions and the girls are with them. The swollen membership of all local sports clubs are ample evidence of this big-push in sports."
"A comforting reflection is that membership fees of all Domain sports clubs, with the possible exception of bowling which provides for its own grounds maintenance, are remarkably low compared with clubs in other centres. All will be agreed that is a healthy policy and one that takes papa, mamma, and the young hopes to the same area for recreation, in the most beautiful surroundings which any sports clubs enjoy."
The Final Word ...
“Every wall is a door.”
(Ralph Waldo Emerson)