Aorangi School - sports new kit

The NZCT has awarded Aorangi School in Rotorua $10,000 for new sports uniforms.

School Principal Kairo McLean says -

At Aorangi School, our financial resources are very limited and we have to battle for the bare necessities. Sports have not been a priority in the past. We only had one sports team which consisted of ten boys who played everything - basketball, touch, and rugby.

As the new Principal with a physical education background, I know the importance of nurturing well-rounded students and the value of sport as a vehicle to help our young tamariki thrive and gain highly effective life and social skills.

Our kura is currently undergoing a major transformation in terms of athletics. We’ve gone from one team to five in a year, with over eighty students (70%) now actively engaged in playing sport. We provide free training, transport, and equipment, but one big barrier to access remained. Apart from a few used singlets from generations ago, there were no sports uniforms. Having a kit that fits is a huge confidence booster - you match your peers, you look professional, and you can move more freely.

This grant from NZCT will therefore go towards purchasing new, fit-for-purpose uniforms so that our students can feel proud when playing and representing our school. Presentation is a huge part of sport and this is clear from the results our students are having on the sports fields. Our Senior Year hockey team recently won their division in the Local Rotorua competition - and this was the first time our students have ever played hockey before!

Having a set of new uniforms will reintroduce Mana to our students who represent the school in Junior and Senior soccer, basketball, rippa rugby, hockey, and netball. Now that we have a range of uniform sizes, we can include all kids from Years 1-6. This will allow us to make sports more inclusive, with kids training from a young age and senior students guiding and supporting them as mentors. Wearing new, high quality, and properly fitting gear will not only make them feel good about themselves, but also encourage them to perform at an even higher standard.