Codes join to give kids a break

Six Canterbury youth sport organisations have pushed back their winter seasons by a month in the hope of giving kids more of a break and reducing burnout.

Mainland Football, the Canterbury Basketball Association, the Christchurch Netball Centre, the Canterbury Rugby League, Canterbury Hockey and Canterbury Rugby have agreed to align the start dates for their winter youth seasons this year.

Sport Canterbury chief executive Julyan Falloon said the move addressed several issues affecting young athletes, including overlapping seasons that left no recovery time or the flexibility for children to play multiple sports.

Other issues included athletes specialising too soon, increased workloads for young people, which led to burnout or injury, and a drop in volunteer numbers.

Falloon said the move was seen as a way of putting the wellbeing of ma¯ ta¯ tahi (young people) first.

‘‘We admire the Canterbury sports for stepping up and announcing what we believe is a first in the country.’’

Falloon said the organisation hoped the agreement would lead other sports around New Zealand to consider similar moves.

Mainland Football chief executive Julian Bowden said all of the groups that signed the agreement this year hoped to line up their start dates next year, too.

‘‘The break has really been appreciated. Plus the four weeks are added at the other end, so the kids get the same number of games.’’