After two visits to Christchurch in recent weeks, the Warriors Community Foundation has headed north for a packed three-day Sky Sport Rugby League Roadshows trip to Northland.
Organised in collaboration with the New Zealand Rugby League, Rugby League Northland and Sport Northland, the tour has stops in Ahipara, Kaitaia, Kaikohe and Whangarei.
Headed by the Warriors foundation’s community programmes coordinator Charlotte Scanlan and ambassador Ruben Wiki, the visit features school visits and clinics.
There’s a strong focus on the foundation’s Tupu Māia programme, a girls-only health and wellbeing programme for year seven and eight students, while Scanlan and Wiki will lead a session on Saturday dedicated to coaching rugby league in the women’s space.
“With the announcement that the Warriors will be back in the NRLW next year, it’s really timely to be focusing on the women’s side of the game on this trip,” said Scanlan.
“With real growth in playing numbers in women’s rugby league, it’s vital for us to do all we can to develop pathways for young girls wanting to play the game.”
The roadshow first travelled to Ahipara Primary School on Thursday morning before moving to Kaitaia College for a clinic there before a community fun session later in the afternoon.
On Friday, there it involved visits to Kaikohe West Primary School and Kaikohe Christian School ahead of a community event at Lindvart Park from 3.30pm-5.00pm.
Scanlan and Wiki run the women’s coaching course from 10.00am-12.00pm at Sport Northland in Whangarei on Saturday followed by a community fun event from 1.00pm-3.00pm at Kensington Park.
