Sports Complex at Redoubt North Primary School Complete

Primary Sport Kicks Sports Complex at Redoubt North Primary School into Completion

05 October 2011 - The new $1 million sports complex at Redoubt North Primary School in Manukau got off to a flying start today.

One of the key drivers of the development of the multi-purpose Silver Ferns Sports Complex is Primary Sport. It is one of the seven programmes developed by Sir John Walker’s Find Your Field of Dreams Foundation to positively impact the lives of young people in Manukau by providing sport and recreational experiences.

Launched in August 2009, Primary Sport, delivered by Counties Manukau Sport and funded by Four Winds Foundation, involves 22 primary schools in Otara and Papatoetoe and aims to encourage primary school students to engage in active sport on a regular basis.

Redoubt North has been part of the Primary Sport programme for approximately two years with 345 students involved between Year Four and Year Six. Recognising the positive difference physical education has on its pupils, the school felt the complex was a necessary addition.

Principal of Redoubt North Jane Milne told the students, staff and guests at the opening of the sports complex that the “benefits Find Your Field of Dreams was delivering to school youngsters was the inspiration for the Silver Ferns Sports Complex.” The Foundation provides a wide range of resources to the school including sports gear and coaching.

Special guests at the opening included Sir John Graham, MP Hon George Hawkins, Auckland Councillor Arthur Anae and representatives of Find Your Field of Dreams Foundation.

Sir John Graham, a leading educator and former All Black captain, believes the sports complex is an incredible asset for the school and will allow the children to learn to love physical activity and learn to love sport.

“Physical education is a crucial part of the school curriculum and I see this sports complex as something that is vital for the growth of the children,” he said.

“It is a remarkable achievement for Redoubt North Primary School to accomplish. An exceptional sports complex such as this is rare in New Zealand, so it is even more exceptional to see it built in an area like Manukau.”

Sir John Walker’s aim for his Find Your Field of Dreams Foundation is to get more Manukau youngsters active and involved in sport and to stay in sport, just like he did. The Silver Ferns Sports Complex is the first step in the right direction for Redoubt North to achieve this goal.

A recent Find Your Field of Dreams survey of school principals gave Primary Sport a 96% rating in terms of providing sport confidence, sport skills and interpersonal skills to school students.

ENDS

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