Rippa Rugby

Bread and Butter of life: Using Rippa Rugby as a tool to learn to read

In 2019, I had just returned from a professional rugby coaching role in Russia with my family and was lucky enough to get my role at Port of Lyttelton as a Civil Maintenance Carpenter. My son has grown up around rugby teams and it was only natural for him to gravitate towards Rippa rugby. My wife Gina is team manager. This is when the Sea Pups were born 2020 with Lyttelton Rugby Club and 2021 with CFC.

We do our best to provide a safe, happy, positive space to help these young kids become better people using the values of:

Manaakitanga (MAR-NAR-KEY-TOUNGUE-AH) uplifting the mana of others, being kind and caring.

Kotahitanga (COR-TAR-HE-TOUNGUE-AH) A sense of togetherness through working together.

Manawaroa (MAH-NAH-WAH-ROW-AH) It is about displaying courage, bravery, resilience and striving towards achieving your best.

At the start of training we allow a window of 15 minutes for our kids to read. This was challenging at first as all they want to do is run around and play. First we started with them reading to parents/caregivers, we are now at the stage of the kids getting their books out and sitting on the magic mat and peer reading.

It also shows that they are starting to understand sharing, listening and being respectful of each other. This programme keeps parents/caregivers and children connected through Rippa rugby and books. Player of the day gets to take home the B.R.E.A.D book and write a story about what their experiences of Rippa rugby have been so far.

Nahau te rourou Naku te rourou Ka ora ai te manuhiri

With your basket of knowledge and my basket of knowledge the people will prosper

Balls / Books Read Enjoy Achieve Dreams

Maritime Union of New Zealand youth delegates at the Council of Trade Unions/Stand Up Youth Conference, Christchurch, August 2021