Funding winners given a sporting chance
As two sporting dreams come to fruition this month, a new batch of aspirants have been given a jump-start in reaching their goals.
Sports Nelson Tasman Trust has allocated more than $15,500 to just seven applicants for their April round of funding.
The five trustees’ top pick was Jamie Davis, a 17-year-old Nelson College rugby player who will receive assistance for ongoing rugby fees this season.
‘‘We know that a lot of parents struggle to find the money to keep their kids in sport, and this is exactly why the trust was set up four-and-a-half years ago.’’ trust spokesperson Michele Surcouf said.
The trustees’ second choice application came from Tasman Gymnastics Club, who will receive $3637 to buy a new set of bars that can be packed down and taken to different venues, saving the need to duplicate equipment at each site
The trust will also assist hockey players in participating at a trans-Tasman masters tournament at Whangarei in May.
Jaron Steffens is a member of the NZ mens masters 40-45 years team, balancing his sporting commitments with study over the past six years, relying at times on the income of wife Mary Jane for those essential funds.
The Federal club player said the $1850 grant not only eased the financial burden often associated with minor sports but allowed him to pursue his goal of attending the world cup in Spain next year.
‘‘If I didn’t get that support from the trust, I wouldn’t have been able really to consider looking at Spain, so it’s been a really good boost for me.’’
Steffens said organisations like SNTT gave hope to sportspeople whose ambitions were often limited by costs to themselves or their families.
‘‘There are kids who are potentially looking at playing in the capital NHL sides and looking to make the junior Black Sticks sides and they’ve got parents going ‘it’s enough, we can’t do this anymore’, especially if they’ve got three or four kids playing hockey - trusts like this allow the kids to get to those trials so they can take that next step.’’
Others to benefit include the 36-strong Electrix cheerleading team, a young Spirit of Adventure candidate and an 18-year-old event cyclist.
Meanwhile, two prior funding recipients are making the most of their opportunities.
David Puklowski left Nelson on April 1 to begin his epic Challenge for a Mate journey, raising funds for a friend requiring treatment for hereditary rickets.
In warmer waters, 53-year-old Christina Harris is in Samoa this week to swim 24km across the Apolima Strait between the islands of Upolu and Savai’i.
The next round of applications are on September 1. See sportsnelsontasmantrust.co.nz for details.