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Māori Football Aotearoa inspires tamariki at Whakarewarewa School
Sport Bay of Plenty joined Māori Football Aotearoa (MFA), WaiBOP Football, and local partners in delivering an inspiring football experience to the tamariki, staff, and whānau of Whakarewarewa School recently.
The delivery of the Kōtuitui programme was a key feature of the day.
The visit was led by MFA kaumātua Phill Pickering-Parker, who returned to the town where he grew up and to the very school he attended in the 1970s. Phill shared his journey from local football fields to representing New Zealand at U-16 level, gifting the school a framed Māori Football Aotearoa jersey and his own framed international jersey.
Phill’s message to the children was one of possibility and ambition:
“One day, you too may pull on this jersey, or the jersey of Māori Football Aotearoa, if you work hard, have fun, and keep playing football.”
He spoke about planting the seed of Māori engagement with the game early, blending passion and fun with a clear sense of pathway.
Also representing MFA was Gordon Watson, General Manager of Auckland City FC, who recently returned from the FIFA Club World Cup in the USA. Gordon shared how his own football journey was shaped by whānau, and encouraged tamariki to imagine their own football pathway – from school and club level, through Māori Football Aotearoa, and potentially to the national stage.
The visit featured the involvement of Sergio, a local coach with Waiariki FC and Māori Football. A former professional player with Santos in Brazil who also played in Japan, Sergio is a key figure in delivering football and futsal programmes to young people in the Rotorua region.
Sport Bay of Plenty’s Kimiora Insley attended the event to support the kaupapa, reinforcing the organisation’s commitment to strengthening connections between sport providers, schools, and communities. The presence of Sport Bay of Plenty alongside MFA, WaiBOP Football, and local coaches underscored the value of collaborative partnerships in creating accessible sporting opportunities for tamariki across the region.
Photo Credit and Video Credit: Māori Football Aotearoa via Auckland City FC Media
This collaborative approach ensures that programmes are better resourced, that pathways are visible, and that more young people can enjoy the physical, social, and cultural benefits of sport – whether they pursue it at the highest level or simply as a lifelong source of health and connection.
The Whakarewarewa School visit stands as an example of how sport can unite different organisations and community leaders in a shared mission: to inspire and empower young people to participate, belong, and thrive.
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