The North Canterbury Sport & Recreation Trust is now extending its in-school sports coaching programmes to include after school activities aimed at extending children's skills and leading them into club sports.

"Mini-Ball" is a programme for year 3 & 4 students to introduce them to the fundamentals of basketball as a team sport.  Each session mixes specific skills coaching with a game against another team using modified rules to encourage full team participation and create "space" on a court.  Coaches/referees explain rules and infringements during the game to ensure children are able to relate rules to various situations.

Skill sessions cover basics such as...

  • Shooting
  • Passing
  • Layups
  • Dribbling
  • Defense

Modified game rules include...

  • Set number of passes required before shooting is allowed to encourage passing around more team members
  • Coloured bibs used to encourage a more structured man-on-man defense

The Mini-Ball programme runs for 6 weeks during terms 3 & 4 and is run by the MainPower Sports Coaches with assistance from North Canterbury Basketball.

The students involved in the mini-ball programme are better prepared to enter the NCBB's Friday Night Basketball competition for years 5-8.

 

To find out more about Mini-Ball please contact Janelle at the North Canterbury Sport & Recreation Trust.

Phone: 03 975 5560
Email: [email protected]

 

With the construction of a new multi-sport artificial turf in Rangiora the North Canterbury Sport & Recreation Trust has introduced a "First Sticks" hockey coaching and competition programme for year 3-8 students.

First Sticks is structured similar to the Mini-Ball programme, combining a skills coaching session followed by a modified game.  This teaches children some additional hockey skills and allows them to apply these skills in a safe but competitive game environment.

First sticks is for year 3 & 4 students and runs for 6 weeks in each of terms 4 and term 1.

Older children (years 5-8) also have an opportunity to develop their hockey skills with regular competitive games on a quality turf through terms 4 and 1 leading into the winter hockey season.  The Trust's Hockey competition for these age groups doesn't include a specific skills session but teams are coached and refereed to help them improve their skills while playing.

For more information about First Steps Hockey and the Year 5-8 hockey competition please contact Janelle at the North Canterbury Sport & Recreation Trust.

Phone: 03 975 5560
Email: [email protected]