Sporting legends inspire students 10 Apr 2015
Related articles
- Niki Roderick Extends Depth To New Zealand Record Sport
- NZ More Interested in All Whites than All Blacks Sport
- All Whites claim historic point Sport
- Prime Minister to travel to South Africa News
- Snow on The Remarkables Living
- Team Selected for Ultimate Ride Jet-ski Sport
- Trubridge Triumphs With Unassisted Freedive Record Sport
- New Zealand 2011 Business Club launched Business
- 300 feet down: two bare feet and one breath of air Living
- Wyatt claims title Sport
More than 300 senior sports students heard inspirational messages from top athletes recently at Aspire conference.
Organised by Ignite Sport Trust the one-day conference aimed to ‘shape sports leaders of tomorrow’.
Thirty-five secondary schools from throughout the Wellington Region sent 10 students to participate in break-out sessions as diverse as ‘Mental toughness’ with Melissa Moon (World Mountain Running Champion), ‘Barriers to success’ with Paul Ifill (former Phoenix and professional football player) and ‘Overseas sporting scholarships’ with Steve Willis (Athletics NZ High Performance Coach). Judd Flavell (Junior Tall Blacks coach and SKYCITY Breakers assistant coach) engaged the students in a session about developing a positive team culture.
Keynote speaker and Olympic medallist Nick Willis stressed that students stay committed to their goals. He told them how as a teenager he made the choice to train instead of socialising with his mates. He ‘stuck to his dream’ of being a runner regardless of other teenage pressures.
Aspire was opened by Minister for Youth Hon. Nikki Kaye. The Minister reminded students to look at all areas of their lives – to have ‘inner fitness’ as well as sporting skills.
Paralympic medallist Mary Fisher advised students to believe in themselves no matter the challenges they face.
Aspire was a first for the Wellington Region. The ‘dream’ of Ignite Sport’s Coordinator, Kevin Goldsbury, the conference aimed to teach young sports leaders about the necessary values and character needed to successfully lead on and off the field.
“We coach our athletes brilliantly and teach them all the sports skills necessary to be their best on the field. But I believe we must empower our young sports leaders – who will also be community leaders – to become great young people. We must help them make positive choices at an age when they are making some of their most important decisions,” says Mr Goldsbury.
Aspire, held at Te Rauparaha Arena, Porirua, was supported by College Sport Wellington, Wellington Community Trust, Ministry of Youth Development and Shoe Connection.
College Sport Wellington Executive Director John Hornal said the conference was a tremendous opportunity for the young leaders.
“For many of the young people present, being in the same room as the array of legends assembled at Aspire was in itself a huge buzz and the learnings from them, the bonus.”
The students agreed – with the majority rating it as an ‘Epic’ conference. The most popular sessions were ‘Mental toughness’ with Melissa Moon and ‘Inner fitness’ presented by Mr Goldsbury.
Reflections from just a few of the students following Aspire:
• To dream big and never let anyone put you down
• That your character and values is what gets you through tough times
• It's not all from talent, it’s about the work you put in outside the game. What you put in, in the mental work
• How you react to setbacks is what shapes you as a person
• Learnt today that our attitudes control our lives
Ignite Sport hopes to host Aspire for Wellington students every two years.
Ends
News
Hilary Timmins' Award-Winning UK Documentary Series To Inspire NZ Students
29 Jun 2020 Education
Dream Catchers, produced and directed by Hilary Timmins, celebrates the success stories of more than thirty inspirational New... more
New Zealand reaffirms support for Flight MH17 judicial process
7 Mar 2020 News
Ahead of the start of the criminal trial in the Netherlands on 9 March, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has reaffirmed the need to... more
Business
NZ Government's Economic package to fight COVID-19
17 Mar 2020 Business News
The Coalition Government has launched the most significant peace-time economic plan in modern New Zealand history to cushion the... more
NZ Government announces aviation relief package
19 Mar 2020 Business News
Transport Minister Phil Twyford today outlined the first tranche of the $600 million aviation sector relief package announced earlier... more
Living
Diversity was Key at New Zealand Trade Tasting in London
6 Jun 2022 Food & Wine
New Zealand Winegrowers Annual Trade Tasting was recently held in London, on Wednesday 4 May, in Lindley Hall.
It was the first... more
Kiwi author stuns Behind the Butterfly Gate
12 Jan 2022 Arts
Hidden behind the Butterfly Gate is where the secret has been kept for 76 years...
New Zealand writer Merryn Corcoran’s... more
Property
Fairer rules for tenants and landlords
17 Nov 2019 Property
17 NOVEMBER 2019
The Government has delivered on its promise to the over one million New Zealanders who now rent to make it fairer... more
New Zealand Government will not implement a Capital Gains Tax
17 Apr 2019 Property
The Coalition Government will not proceed with the Tax Working Group’s recommendation for a capital gains tax, Jacinda Ardern... more
Migration
Boosting border security with electronic travel authority – now over 500,000 issued
19 Nov 2019 Migration
19 NOVEMBER 2019
We’ve improved border security with the NZeTA, New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority, which helps us to... more
Christchurch reinstated as refugee settlement location
18 Aug 2018 Migration
18 AUGUST 2018
HON IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY
The announcement that Christchurch can once again be a settlement location for refugees... more
Travel
Gallipoli Anzac Day services cancelled
19 Mar 2020 Travel & Tourism
The New Zealand and Australian Governments have announced this year’s joint Anzac Day services at Gallipoli will be cancelled... more
New Zealanders advised not to travel overseas
19 Mar 2020 Travel & Tourism
New Zealanders advised not to travel overseas
more
Sport
The Skipper's Diary: Sir Richard Hadlee honouring his father and NZ's Forty-Niners
27 Oct 2019 Cricket
NZNewsUK London Editor Charlotte Everett spoke to Sir Richard Hadlee about why he’s chosen to publish his father’s... more
PREVIEW: All Blacks v England semi-final
26 Oct 2019 Rugby
The two most convincing quarterfinals winners are set to square off in a semifinal showdown for the ages when the All Blacks meet old... more
Columns
Gordon Campbell on the Gareth Morgan crusade
11 Nov 2016 Opinion
Gordon Campbell on the Gareth Morgan crusade
First published on Werewolf
The ghastly likes of Marine Le Pen in France and Geert ... more
Gordon Campbell on the US election outcome
10 Nov 2016 Opinion
Column - Gordon Campbell
Gordon Campbell on the US election outcome
Well um.. on the bright side, there (probably)... more
Kiwi Success
Congratulations to Loder Cup winner
26 Sep 2018 People
25 SEPTEMBER 2018
The Loder Cup, one of New Zealand’s oldest conservation awards, has been awarded to Robert McGowan for 2018... more
Appointments to New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO
16 Aug 2018 Appointments
16 AUGUST 2018Appointments to New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO
HON JENNY SALESA
Associate Education Minister Jenny Salesa is... more
Recruitment
Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
14 Aug 2018 Recruitment
14 AUGUST 2018Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
HON CHRIS HIPKINS
Prime Minister
The... more
Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
22 Aug 2018 Recruitment
14 AUGUST 2018Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
HON CHRIS HIPKINS
Prime Minister
The... more