New body to aid sport

Press, 19 November 1977, Page 60

New body to aid sport

A new sports body is to be formed ! n Canterbury early next year; it will be representative of all sports and intent on providing opportunities for youngsters to develop their talents. The body, to be known as the Canterbury Sports Foundation, is an off-spring of Commonwealth Games Promotion (New Zealand), the society which won for Christchurch the 1974 Games and then took a back seat while the Games were staged by a much larger organising committee.

Because it had funds—the result of a grant it received out of the Games profit—the society stayed in existence after the Games and slightly more than a year ago it took the first steps towards placing itself in liquidation. The grant of $43,500 was invested when it was re-

ceived in 1975 and the last investment matures in February next year. Interest will bring the sum to about $49,000. While attending to its own demise last year, the promotion society did the spadework for the creation of a body, the foundation to inherit the money. The fund will very likely be swelled by a grant from the Canterbury’ Amateur sports organisation which has outlived its usefulness and is also in the process of winding up. This federation used to raise money for category B selections for Commonwealth and Olympic Games.

A set of rules has been drawn up for the new foundation and arrangements are in hand for its registration as an incorporated society. The work is being done by Mr A. W, Barrett, who was the last

secretarv of Commonwealth Games Promotion and its appointed liquidator. Mr Barrett said yesterday that early in the New Year he would be distributing to sports associations in Canterbury, plus individuals and other parties which may be interested, information about the foundation, and a meeting would then be called. It is hoped that the membership will fall into four categories: provincial sports associations, individuals, group members (local bodies, clubs, educational institutes, organisations and companies) and donor members. "We hope that as many groups as possible will become involved, but it will be up to each if they want to join. The broader the support the better,” said Mr Barrett. The prime object of the

foundation, according to Mr Barrett, is to assist with the coaching and development of sports skills and techniques. Examples he gave were of a highly promising young athlete being sent overseas or the bringing to New Zealand of a top-ranked coach. It could be in any sport. The foundation also hopes to generate among youngsters a life-long interest in sport and to provide a link between young people and sports and recreation clubs. * “The brief has purposely been made wide so that the foundation can determine its own direction once a committee has been formed. There is a fair amount of money available and it will require time and study to decide the best ways it can be spent,” said Mr Barrett.