Sport Waikato

02/06/2026

🎥 WATCH: Tū Manawa funding helping more Taupō tamariki get active!

Tauhara College Taupo teacher Lisa Hemopo says the Kids Bike Taupō programme creates opportunities many students would not otherwise have access to.

“A lot of them don’t have access to bikes at home or have never learned how to ride a bike before. It just gives them that opportunity that they wouldn’t normally have.”

Thanks to Sport New Zealand's Tū Manawa fund, administered in the Waikato region by Sport Waikato, Kids Bike Taupō and KiwiSport Taupō received funding to help deliver in the region.

Read the story: https://shorturl.at/86QuL
Find out more about Tū Manawa: https://shorturl.at/FUCoE

Taupō District Council
Lake Taupo District Sports Advisory Council
Wairakei Primary School

28/05/2026

A massive thanks to the Waikato Principals’ Association for having us along at their Connections Day event this week 🙌

We had the chance to spend time with an amazing group of principals and school leaders talking about all things:
🏫 resilient leadership
⚽ positive sporting environments
🤝 partnerships
❤️ wellbeing and belonging
🏃 movement and participation
…and how we can better support young people together.

There were some awesome conversations, plenty of reflection, a few laughs and a really strong reminder that schools are carrying a LOT right now.

It was awesome hearing Matthew Cooper and Nikki Willis share their experiences and insights throughout the day, alongside Nathan Leith from Berkley Normal Middle School, who spoke about Berkley’s Positive Vibes Only journey and experience within their kura.

We loved sharing more about the work happening across Sport Waikato and how we can continue working alongside kura and communities across the region.

Huge thanks to everyone who made us feel so welcome — and especially to all the principals and leaders doing incredible work for tamariki every single day 👏

27/05/2026

Sport should be a place where young people feel supported, encouraged and excited to come back next week.

Thanks to all the parents, coaches, volunteers and supporters helping create positive sideline environments across Aotearoa 🩷

We’re proud to support schools, clubs and organisations wanting to strengthen positive sporting culture for tamariki and rangatahi through Positive Vibes Only.

Unruly spectators are affecting the game and the young people playing it, Matthew Cooper says after recent violent and verbal incidents.

25/05/2026

Sport is incredibly powerful. It builds confidence and creates connection for our tamariki and rangatahi, and that’s why creating positive experiences on and off the field matters so much!

Today our CEO Matthew Cooper shared his thoughts on sideline behaviour in youth sport and the role we all play in supporting young people to enjoy sport, feel encouraged and want to come back each week.

Read Matthew’s post below 👇

Winter sport is one of the great connectors in our communities. It’s where tamariki and rangatahi build confidence, friendships, resilience and a lifelong love of movement and play. It’s our responsibility as adults to create environments that make them want to come back and play again next week...

22/05/2026

🎥 WATCH: Youth Week: ‘Our Voices Matter, We Deserve to Be Heard’

With the theme of Youth Week this year aligning so well with how Sport Waikato helps schools to capture youth voice, we went along to hear what they loved most about the Youth Week Sports Day held at the South Waikato Sport & Events Centre!

You can see how much they loved the event 😎❤️ and they loved sharing what makes them happy!

Well done to the organisers Wera Aotearoa Charitable Trust - Youth Services for organising the day 🫶

South Waikato District Council| Forest View High School Tokoroa Official | Tokoroa High School (official) | Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Hiringa | Ara Taiohi - Peak Body for Youth Development

Music Credit: Son & Water (Home)

18/05/2026

A really special moment for the Sport Waikato whaanau today ❤️

At our all staff hui, our Chief Executive Matthew Cooper presented Sport Waikato with an incredible taonga, an All Blacks jersey gifted to him by New Zealand Rugby as he wrapped up his term as NZ Rugby President.

The jersey carries the words Taku Manutaki i tiaki i te mana o te Kapa (Leadership protects the mana of the team) and we think those words describe Matthew’s leadership perfectly.

We’re so proud of the contribution Matthew has made to rugby across Aotearoa, and incredibly grateful to have him leading our organisation every day with passion, care and humility.

Matthew presented the jersey to long-serving team members Lisa Bishop and Anton Barr, alongside our Board Chair Sharleen Nathan who presented Matthew with a gift to acknowledge his service and leadership.

A taonga we will treasure for many years to come 🖤

14/05/2026

It's National Pink Shirt Day Aotearoa and that means a lot to Sport Waikato.

Through our Positive Vibes Only experience, we’re committed to creating sporting environments where everyone feels safe, supported and valued. Because bullying, abuse and negativity have no place in sport, or in our communities.

Whether you’re a player, coach, volunteer, whaanau member, official or supporter, the way we speak and act has a huge impact on the experience others have in sport.

Let's raise the standard.

Pink Shirt Day is an amazing initiative which reminds us to keep being positive to those around us - it can make all the difference to someone's life.

Take time today to think carefully about your words. They matter 🩷


https://www.sportwaikato.org.nz/positive-vibes-only

12/05/2026

Sport is all about having fun, building friendships and feeling part of something bigger.

That starts with creating positive environments where all players, coaches, officials and whaanau feel supported, included and able to enjoy the game.

Let’s keep it positive this season 🩷

https://www.waikatotimes.co.nz/nz-news/361003113/nobodys-ever-made-all-blacks-eight-years-old-waikato-rugby-cracks-down-sideline-abuse

11/05/2026

🎥 WATCH: Mercury Bay Cricket Club removing barriers for whaanau

Our very own Regional Connectivity Coordinator Rob Corkill is also the President of the Mercury Bay Cricket Club, and with the support of an amazing committee, recently changed the format of their junior cricket competition.

With outstanding results.

👇Watch the video
📖 Read the full story: https://shorturl.at/ZMMX9

11/05/2026

We were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Associate Professor Dr Clive Pope from the The University of Waikato yesterday morning.

Clive was a hugely respected leader, educator and advocate for physical education, movement and wellbeing in Aotearoa.
Alongside fellow Associate Professor Dr Bevan Grant, AKA the “dynamic duo”, he influenced countless people working across the sport and recreation sector today.

Sport Waikato was proud to work with Clive and the University team in the early 2000s on the “Give it a Rest and They Will Play Their Best” campaign, helping encourage more positive sideline behaviour in community sport. The campaign was ahead of its time and started important conversations that still matter today.

Many of the ideas and learnings from that work continue to influence our Positive Vibes Only experience, helping create better sporting experiences for our communities.

Our heartfelt condolences and aroha go to Jill, the Pope whaanau, friends, colleagues and former students.

Photo L-R: Dr Clive Pope, Matthew Cooper, Dr Bevan Grant

Sport New Zealand | The University of Waikato | Physical Education New Zealand |