Sideline Sid Sports correspondant & historian www.sunlive.co.nz

Catching the last moments of T Ball, at the softball facilities at the Carlton Street Reserve last Saturday got me thinking about changes in youngsters being introduced to sport in their formative years, over the years.

Known as Tee Ball in America, where it was introduced some decades ago, the simplified game is an introduction to softball for four to eight year olds to develop ball skills in a fun environment. The youngsters hit the ball from a (elongated) tee instead of having the ball pitched to them. T Ball allows a youngster to learn the skills of catching, batting, throwing and running the bases in a fun way.

In years gone by, kids were either introduced to junior sport by parents who had played the sport or joined in a sink or swim manner with their mates, where if they didn't quickly pick up the skills they dropped out and were lost to the sport.

Today the majority of sports in New Zealand have an introductory program which focuses on basic skills and having fun. Rippa Rugby was one of the first in our country, while over the ditch the big player in the junior ranks is Oz Tag, which comes from a rugby league background. Both Rippa Rugby and Oz Tag see the youngsters rip a tag or ribbon off an opponent instead of making a tackle.

Western Bay of Plenty Cricket, is currently taking their (School) Year One to Four cricket awareness programme to 3500 youngsters from Katikati to Pongokawa. The year one to four programme is a very basic introduction to cricket that teaches catching, throwing, bowling and how to hit the ball with a bat. With the emphasis on fun and enjoyment the sessions finish with some skill games, which always produce a heap of laughter.

This week, the Western Bay is witness to the progression from modified introductory games to competitive sport, at the annual AIMS Games. From small beginnings 11 years ago, the AIMS (Association of Intermediate and Middle Schools) Games has become a junior sport phenomenon, that attracts more participants than the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

From just four sports in 2004, the AIMS Games has grown to an international festival of Year 7 and 8 sport encompassing 17 sporting codes, from 228 Schools. The Western Bay of Plenty has made the events its own, with the Blake Park hub ideally situated for the AIMS Games headquarters.

While the most code titles have been shared around over the years, Murrays Bay Intermediate have fashioned an incredible record in the water polo competition. The Auckland School has triumphed every year since the sport made its AIMS Games entrance in 2005, except when Glen Eden won the title in 2011.

A couple of decades ago, there was a real push for participation to become the major focus of junior sport at the expense of recognition of success. Sideline Sid believes that the AIMS Games have the perfect balance, whereby all the individuals and teams that participate are applauded and also success is commended and celebrated within the parameters of fairplay.