Spotlight on Youth - Midnight Basketball starts

Seen at a previous Midnight Basketball event in 2022.

The spotlight is on youth this month with a range of activities and events planned for, and by, rangatahi.

Pink Shirt Day on Friday, May 17, encourages New Zealanders to help eliminate bullying by celebrating diversity and promoting kindness and inclusion. There are many ways to support this day, from having a ‘Wear something Pink’ day, promoting the day on social media, to giving a donation. Head to www.pinkshirtday.org.nz for more ideas and information.

Youth Week, May 20-26, is all about amplifying the contributions of young people to their communities. At Sport Whanganui, they aim to do this by supporting and encouraging rangatahi to enjoy being active in their own way.

Midnight Basketball is a great example of this kaupapa, and we are proud to once again be supporting Whanganui Basketball alongside Ngā Tai o Te Awa to run this popular event. The “midnight” basketball session at Springvale Stadium starts at 8.30pm on Friday, May 24 and is open to youth aged 12 plus. This is a safe space for all to enjoy and will include basketball games for all skill levels, music, entertainment, pizza and spot prizes.

Members of Y.E.S.S (Youth Empowering Sports Squad) will be helping out at the basketball and will also be running a barbecue at the Whanganui Secondary School Cross Country championships at Dudding Lake on Tuesday, May 21.

Formerly known as the Whanganui Secondary Schools Sports Council, Y.E.S.S is a council of students with the purpose of creating a link between the student body and sports in Whanganui. Students meet regularly and influence decision-making related to secondary school sports and recreation. Sport Whanganui hugely appreciates and values contributions from this talented group of rangatahi.

The next event in the Women Who Lead series, also set for Tuesday, May 21, will have a youth focus and we look forward to hearing from some of our local youth voices on a range of interesting topics.

May also signals the start of winter sports competition and with the season now under way, many codes are using social media to encourage positive sideline behaviour. A timely reminder that our kids’ sport is about them, not us.

Enjoy watching them play, let them have fun with their friends and applaud effort over the outcome. And remember to be a good sport towards referees and umpires – they are often learning too.