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New Plymouth Rangers AFC successfully applied for T奴 Manawa funding through Sport Taranaki for a play project to keep the children of parents playing at weekends engaged, and to run play sessions during the football season. 

鈥淲e wanted to have different tools and equipment to involve everyone in football-based play. We are a big club and have many different programmes that benefit from a play component,鈥� says club captain John Sigurdsson.   

鈥淲e saw this as a good opportunity to keep the children of parents playing in our senior teams (male and female) entertained and provide for the community that comes to watch the games,鈥� he says. 

The club, which has more than 300 junior members and 130 seniors, applied for funding for equipment including inflatable football fields, giant kick targets, large inflatable footballs, mini nets, targets and flags. 

鈥淲e wanted equipment that wasn鈥檛 your standard play equipment and would be unique but appealing to tamariki,鈥� explains John. 

鈥淲e imported a few items and the huge blow-up balls have been a great hit, though we鈥檝e had to be careful the wind doesn鈥檛 sail them across the road!鈥� 

Having used the equipment over winter, it has enabled the club to provide fun, exciting and different play experiences for more than 100 children. 

鈥淭he club recognises a structured football session isn鈥檛 for everyone and therefore found it great to be able to provide this play opportunity,鈥� says John. 

Most importantly, it鈥檚 an initiative that can involve the entire family. 

鈥淚f our club is a fun place for young people to be then they are more likely to stay engaged in football and be active.鈥� 

And it鈥檚 working 鈥� young people are enjoying the play equipment, then they鈥檙e signing up for holiday programmes and then getting involved in football.  

鈥淭here really are many different pathways into football and ensuring that young people can be involved with our club at a level they wish is really important,鈥� says John. 

鈥淲e have programmes that cater for young people who are ambitious and want to progress down the football pathway, and we have fun programmes that are not completely focussed on football, like our holiday programme.鈥�   

The club has also created a play space in its clubrooms for under-fives to provide a family-friendly environment that allows exploration and play. 

Sport Taranaki play adviser Hester Stretton says his organisation values opportunities that encourage children the freedom, time and space to play in a way that suits them. 

鈥淚t has been amazing to see New Plymouth Rangers take the initiative and look for fun, exciting alternative play options that engage all children to get out and have a good time, which indirectly creates a healthy mindset for being active throughout life.鈥�   

From here on in, the club鈥檚 play equipment will continue to be used at junior prize-giving, holiday programmes, fun open days and big game days.