Growing rangatahi leadership through sport

Across West Auckland, young people are stepping into coaching and umpiring roles, building confidence, capability and connection through sport.

Supporting them is Sport Waitākere’s (now Tuia Waitākere) Sport for Life Development Programme, which is focused on growing rangatahi leadership.

While traditional development days sparked interest and the enthusiasm of participating rangatahi, the one-off workshops weren’t enough for students eager to continue their journey, explains Jemma Palmer, Youth Advisor at Sport Waitākere.

“We could see the passion rangatahi had for giving back through sport. The challenge was creating a longer-term pathway that supported their growth without adding pressure to schools or community providers. Collaboration became the key to making that possible.”

To support ongoing growth, Sport Waitākere partnered with secondary schools including Waitākere College, St Dominic’s College, Massey High and Rutherford College, along with community providers ABS Basketball and Netball Waitākere. Together, they created a system of wraparound support that provided students the tools, guidance and opportunities to grow.

Coach Emerge, a cross-code development programme, subsequently ran nine lunchtime sessions where students worked through guided workbooks, reflecting on their learning, exploring solutions to challenges and developing practical coaching and leadership skills. Each school reconnected three times throughout the season, allowing students to share experiences, receive feedback and apply new knowledge.

Three schools also provided umpiring opportunities at Whau Cluster sports events, giving students firsthand insight into officiating and deepening their understanding of the rules – a skill that strengthens their coaching and leadership abilities.

Coach Evolve worked closely with Massey High School’s new Basketball Academy, supporting four adult coaches through five focused sessions on planning, sport-specific drills, skill development and the GoodSports approach. Observation sessions offered real-time feedback, while a collaborative group chat allowed coaches to share resources and stay aligned. The result was enhanced coaching delivery, stronger leadership and a richer experience for students in the Academy.

Across the programme, 22 students from Waitākere, St Dominic’s, Massey High and Rutherford College have continued growing their leadership ability. By stepping into coaching and umpiring roles, they are actively supporting programmes while developing problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills that extend beyond the court.

Students reflected on how these experiences helped them support others. “We had a player who struggled to get to games. It wasn’t his fault, so we figured out a way to get him there,” explained Liah, a student at Rutherford College.

For coaches and teachers, the approach delivered a raft of benefits.  "It has been awesome to see our kids being built up in a different space and having the opportunity to support local competition," explained a teacher from Waitākere College.  "Having the RSO come to us means we can get more kids upskilled allowing us to build more capability within,” added another teacher from Avondale College.

What began as development days have grown into a structured pathway, empowering rangatahi to continue learning and contributing meaningfully within spaces that belong to them.  

“Initiatives like Coach Evolve provide the wrap around support – ultimately strengthening not only individual students, but the wider sporting environment and community.  It’s a win for all,” concludes Jemma.