Pelorus Trust Stadium Sports Festival

19th February, 2011

On Tuesday 22nd February there’ll be Golf balls flying at Westpac Stadium, while Aussie Rules balls bounce past to the sounds of Te Reo in the background. It’s not a hybrid mash up of cultures and sports but the 8th Annual Pelorus Trust Stadium Sports Festival.

600 year 5 and 6 primary school students from throughout the Wellington region, will descend upon Westpac Stadium to take part in a day of sport, with a strong give it a go ethos.

Organised by Sport Wellington, the event brings together seventeen different sport associations and one Sport Wellington/Wellington City Council partnership to showcase their sport to primary school children. Since 2004 the Pelorus Trust Sports Festival has seen over 3000 children take to the hallowed turf of the Westpac Stadium to have a go at sports they might not generally get an opportunity to experience.

This year the associations who represent unique sports such as Inline Hockey, Fencing, and Aussie Rules will team up and deliver alongside the associations of more traditional sports such as Rugby League, Badminton, Cricket and Golf.

The core purpose of the day is introducing more young people to a variety of sports and assisting them in finding a sport they enjoy and want to take up.

Something special for 2011 will be the Traditional Maori Games (Sport Wellington and Wellington City Council partnership) component of the event, giving the children an opportunity to participate in Ki-o-Rahi and Horohupu, sports that are totally unique to New Zealand, These games will be taught and played in Te Reo Maori and English.

Representing the sports will be a smorgasbord of who’s who in sport, with heroes from the past such as Sandra Edge (Netball Wellington Region) and champions of the future like Football Fern Emma Humphries (Capital Football), and NZ Inline Hockey captain Lewis Taiapa. Former Olympians across a variety of sports as well as regional and national representatives add to the strong calibre of coaches and deliverers supporting the event including Black Sticks (men) assistant coach Sean Dancer (Wellington Hockey) and Touch Rugby Open Mixed International George Albert-Jahnke (Touch New Zealand).

Proudly supported by Pelorus Trust the event starts at 10am and finishes at 2pm, with a lunch break from between 12.10 – 12.40pm, where some Sport Stars from the various sports are expected to make the trip down to the stadium for an informal get together with the kids.

Media are welcome on the day to share in this unique event for Wellington children.

Full list of schools attending:
(Lower Hutt Cluster)
St Bernadette’s School
St Michael’s School
Tawhai SchoolWainuiomata Primary
Wilford Primary School

(Upper Hutt, Wairarapa Cluster)
Birchville School
Hadlow School
Korokoro School
Solway Primary School
St Teresa’s School

(Wellington Cluster)
Crofton Downs School
Hampton Hill School
Holy Cross School
Postgate School
St Anne’s School

(Porirua, Kapiti Cluster)
Natone Park School
Porirua School
Raumati Beach School
Titahi Bay School
Waikanae School

Full list of sports delivering:
Cricket
Badminton
Fencing
RugbyTurbo Touch
AFL
Football
Netball
Tennis
GymSports
Inline Hockey
Kyokushin Karate
Softball
Ultimate Frisbee
League
Golf
Hockey
Traditional Maori Games

ends

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