Teaching local children basic sports skills and encouraging them to lead active lifestyles are the aims of the ANZ Tamariki Sports programme.

The junior sports programme developed by passionate sports coach and athlete Ake Hosea-Winterflood returns next week with some local personalities jumping on board to help deliver the programme.

Radio presenter and basketball president G-Dub (George Williams) along with national touch rugby player Geoff Halston have teamed up with Hosea to help deliver what is going to be an exciting ten week sports programme for local kids.

After the success of previous Tamariki Sports programme, ANZ Back has reaffirmed its support and sponsorship of the programme.

After a two-week stint coaching touch rugby skills with local children, Halston says he saw the potential in the programme and has decided to give more time to coaching children in the sport he loves.

“We want to encourage kids to be active and play sports,” says Halston.

G-Dub will be coaching basketball during the programme while Hosea will be coaching children proper athletics techniques from running to throwing and jumping.

“We want to teach kids new sports skills plus basketball and touch rugby are non-threatening sports,” says Halston.

ANZ Bank’s Christian Mani says that the bank is very happy to continue its support of the programme especially after seeing the fun generated and the overall success of the prgramme.

“We’ve seen what Ake has done to groom our future athletes and the bank is happy to continue our support and sponsorship of the programme,” says Mani.

Hosea is thrilled with the support she has received from her growing team of volunteers and coaches.

“It’s bigger and better than ever,” says Hosea.

Hosea encourages parents to bring their children to the weekly meets which will be held every Tuesday afternoons at the BCI Stadium in Nikao between 4pm and 5pm.

The programme is free for all kids aged 6 to 12 years – so the more the merrier.

During the first programme on Tuesday February 9 – kids aged between 6 and 8 years will go through some touch rugby drills with Halston while kids aged 8 to10 years will put their athletics skills to the test with Hosea.

The older kids aged 11 and 12 years will hang with G-Dub and learn some basketball tricks.

Parents are asked to make sure children have comfortable sports clothes and shoes, water bottles, a hat, sun block and plenty of enthusiasm.

See you on Tuesday at the BCI stadium for fun athletics, basketball and touch rugby lessons.

- Matariki Wilson