Eyes on ‘weekend warriors’

SPORT NEW Zealand’s new community and recreation manager wants a strong grassroots framework improved to monitor ‘‘weekend warriors’’ and measure financial accountability.

Four weeks into the job, Geoff Barry has outlined key philosophies in engaging the recreational community and ensuring accountability for the taxpayer funding awarded to national sport organisations (NSOs).

‘‘It’s fair to say I see a really strong framework in place in terms of strategy and process,’’ Barry told the Sunday Star-Times.

‘‘ What’s key is enhancing the connectivity between plans and the people doing the work. I think we can up our game in terms of supporting national and regional sport organisations.’’

Earlier this year, the auditorgeneral demanded improvements to Sport NZ’s ‘‘performance information and reporting’’ for better accountability. Barry is yet to go through the auditor- general’s review.

‘‘Community sport is harder to gauge than gold medals. There’s an increasing amount of information available, but there’s a lot who take part in sport outside the mandate of their national structure,’’ Barry said. ‘‘Some people don’t want community engagement, rather . . . do their thing.

‘‘ Surfing, like swimming, golf and a number of other sports, has a very high participation rate but relatively small memberships.

‘‘Funding requests in those cases involve asking an NSO how they’re going to connect with the greater mass. Their plans need to have an appreciation of their community.

‘‘I think the media also plays an important part in reporting what happens in recreational sport and the challenge for me is how I can help influence the sector, increase participation and help ensure accountability.’’