The Home Educators Student Sports Association (HESSA) stands firmly behind members Amelia Twiss (13) and George Fisher (12) as they embark on a 700km cycle from the Grassroots Trust Velodrome in Cambridge to the steps of Parliament in Wellington. Their mission: to raise awareness of sports exclusion and deliver the HESSA petition, “Student Sports for All Students,” calling for inclusive eligibility policies that allow all students—regardless of educational pathway—equal rights to compete in student sports.

The petition has already gathered over 2,400 signatures, reflecting a growing public outcry over a deeply unfair reality: home-educated students are being systematically excluded from student sports — not because of ability or interest, but because of outdated eligibility rules. These competitions, often held outside school hours and in public venues, are governed by “school sport” sanctioning, leaving no alternative pathways for homeschooled students to compete at local, regional, or national levels.

“We’re hearing from families whose children are excluded from joining local student leagues and competitions in sports like table tennis, volleyball and cricket simply because they’re homeschooled,” said Mel Ewart, Chair of HESSA. “It’s neither developmentally nor physically appropriate to expect 13-year-olds to compete against adults —which is often the only alternative.”

When school-led bodies are the primary gatekeepers of student sport, homeschooled students are often left with no viable options and are excluded from the social, developmental, and competitive benefits of youth sport with their friends and peers.

Amelia and George have experienced this exclusion firsthand. Their ride is a bold, student-led statement aimed at enacting change at the national level.

“HESSA has engaged with SSNZ for several years and had been working toward an agreed future where home-schooled students under HESSA’s membership would be ‘eligible to participate fully in SSNZ sanctioned events, including Championship tier events and the opportunity to compete for titles,’” said Ewart.“Sadly, SSNZ has significantly backtracked this year and offered no explanation—only stating that their championship events are for schools.”

This position disregards the fact that homeschooled students are legally registered with the Ministry of Education, and their parents are required to submit statutory declarations every six months confirming that they are teaching their children ‘at least as regularly and as well as in a registered school. These students are part of New Zealand’s education system and deserve equal access to the same opportunities in sport.

As homeschoolers, Amelia and George are leading their own powerful learning journey—planning their route, seeking advice, and actively engaging with New Zealand’s political process to advocate for equal opportunities for all students. This is student-led learning at its most impactful.

HESSA is now calling on the New Zealand Government to take action by making public funding for School Sport NZ conditional on inclusive policies that reflect the diversity of New Zealand’s education system. This includes ensuring that all domestic students—whether in mainstream schools or home-educated—have the right to compete in all levels of student sports across the country.

“There’s no disadvantage to including homeschool students,” said Toni Twiss, Amelia’s mother. “This is about keeping the focus on kids, building social connections, and learning life skills.”

There are currently 3,956 homeschooled secondary-age students in New Zealand who are affected by these exclusionary policies.

A recent Stuff Media poll showed that 84% of 25,673 respondents agreed that homeschooled students should be able to compete and win at inter-school competitions.

HESSA encourages all New Zealanders to support the petition and ride with Amelia and George as they make their way down the country. The ride, expected to take 9–10 days and will arrive at Parliament on 1 July, the opening day of Youth Parliament 2025, where the petition will be presented to Tom Rutherford MP.

This journey of resilience and determination is not about medals — it’s about what they represent — fairness, recognition, and equal rights for every New Zealand student to engage in age-grade sport with their peers at the level they choose.

© Scoop Media