Blind Sport NZ Awareness training has launched!

Calling all coaches, volunteers, teachers and families, we are hosting a series of Blind Sport New Zealand Vision Awareness Online Trainings for anyone who wants to be more inclusive in sport with our first one coming up this month.

Date: Tuesday 22nd November 2022

Time: 7pm - 8.30pm

Location: Online

Cost: $15 (Free to Blind Sport New Zealand Individual memberships)

Even minor adaptations to your sports sessions make a huge difference to the experience of the participant with a vision impairment.

Any questions or queries please email jemma@blindsport.kiwi or call 022 599 3961

https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/blind-sport-new-zealand-awareness-training-tickets-452411162967

3 Board Vacancies

Blind Sport New Zealand is seeking 3 board members to be elected at their AGM in late November. Blind Sport New Zealand (BSNZ) is the national disability sport organisation for blind and low vision sport. Our vision is to enrich and empower the lives of blind and low vision New Zealanders through sport.

BSNZ currently has two full time staff member and one part time staff member (all based in Auckland). The Board currently consists of six individuals and the three current vacancies have arisen due to rotation.

The BSNZ Board board governance responsibilities include:

● Ensuring BSNZ complies with all legal and constitutional requirements

● Setting strategic direction and priorities

● Setting high-level policies and management performance expectation

● Monitoring and evaluating organisational performance

● Overseeing the management of risk.

The focus for the board for 2022 includes the continued implementation of the 2020-2023 Strategic Plan, transitioning the organisation to align with a new constitution, and the continuous improvement of the organisation’s financial sustainability.

This role would appeal to individuals who want to support the development of blind and low vision sport in New Zealand. While no previous experience in the blind and low vision sport community is necessary, this experience will be beneficial.

A successful board member will have the following:

● Critical thinking

● Ability to constructively challenge and contribute to robust boardroom conversations

● Common sense

● Alignment with the organisation's values

A background in finance, marketing/communications and/or fundraising/sponsorship would also be of value to the board.

The role is open to individuals living throughout New Zealand.

Time required

Six board meetings are held every 2 months annually for around 1-2 hours in person or online. Other time commitments may include AGM, sub-committee meetings, email dialogue between meetings and BSNZ events.

Reimbursement

The role is unpaid but expenses, including travel, will be reimbursed.

Requirements

If you are interested please email admin@blindsport.kiwi with your cover letter and governance CV. Board members will be asked to complete an ‘interest register’ to help minimise any potential conflicts of interest.

Deadline

Deadline for this role is the 9th of November 2022 at 5pm

https://seekvolunteer.co.nz/volunteering/120668/blind-sport-new-zealand-board-members

67th Annual Blind and Vision Impaired Indoor Bowls National Championships

Labour weekend saw the 67th Annual Blind and Vision Impaired Indoor Bowls National Championships take place at the Hornby Workingmens Club in Christchurch.

Due to the COVID related issues of the past two years, 2019 was the last time we were able to hold the national tournament.

Entries increased this year with Sixty five players representing clubs from nine different districts, and approximately thirty Guides, competing in Pairs, Fours and Singles (Partially Sighted & Total Blind) competitions over the three days.

65 players from 9 districts

Over 3 days of sport

Qualifying play began each day at 8.30am, with post-section and plate sections following immediately. Play continued until winners were found. In some cases this took until 8.30pm!

Our National Executive (BINZ) would like to acknowledge the great support of the Hornby Workingmens Club; Canterbury Umpires Association; Canterbury Indoor Bowls Association; and the Canterbury Blind Indoor Bowling Club all combining to stage and to run this event.

Chris Moffitt

Secretary

Blind & Vision Impaired Indoor Bowlers Federation Inc (BINZ)

If you want to get involved with Indoor Bowls get in contact with Chris Moffitt
EM: cmoff28@gmail.com

PH:021 222 9978

Results

New Zealand Blind & Vision Impaired National Championships, Singles results.

Partial Sighted Men

Winner

Tony Kane (Otago) - Guide, Alanna Moffitt

Runner Up

Ken Fredericksen (Whanganui) - self guide

Partial Sighted Ladies

Winner

Sarah Fallen (Whanganui) - Guide, Francie Twomey

Runner Up

Maria Low (Otago) - Guide, Kevin Keogh

Total Blind Men

Winner

Owen Palmountain (Wellington) - Guide, Noel Fitzwater

Runner Up

Aerenga Rouvi (Otago) - Guide, Marilyn Holmes

Total Blind Ladies

Winner - Louise Henry (Hamilton) - Guide - George Nevill

Runner Up - Nancy Wong (Canterbury) - Guide - Margaret Wellbeloved

Grand Champion of Champions Partial Sighted

Winner

Tony Kane (Otago) - Guide, Alanna Moffitt

Runner Up

Sarah Fallen (Whanganui) - Guide, Francie Twomey

Grand Champion of Champions Total Blind

Winner

Louise Henry (Hamilton) Guide, George Nevill

Runner Up

Owen Palamountain (Wellington) - Guide, Noel Fitzwater

New Zealand Blind and Vision Impaired Indoor Bowls Federation National Championship

Pairs Results

Winners

Tony Kane & Lance Patterson - Otago (Guide, Kevin Keogh)

Runners up

Ken Fredericksen & Sarah Fallen - Whanganui (Guide, Charlene Tamiti)

Semi Finalists

Robyn Garden & Megan Cross - Southland (Guide, Margot Gratton)

Douglas Chee & Robin Walsh - Canterbury (Guide, Martin Jefferson)

New Zealand Blind & Vision Impaired National Championships, Fours results

Winners

Ken Fredericksen, Roger Tuffield, Sarah Fallen, Russell Lowry (Whanganui) Guide - Charlene Tamati

Runners Up

Tony Kane, Lance Patterson, Noopai Rouvi, Michael Bardrick (Otago) Guide - Kevin Keogh

Plate Winners

Bill Walshaw, Jane Mehaffey, Audrey Brassey, Owen Palmountain (Wellington) Guide - Noel Fitzwater

Plate Runners Up

David Aiono, Gerry Wakefield, Jody Cruickshank, Wayne Dick (Wellington) Guide - Keith Palmer

Champion Province

Otago

First titles

Tony Kane - Otago, & Roger Tuffield - Whanganui

Blind Sport Annual General Meeting (AGM) invite

This email is to confirm that the Blind Sport New Zealand (BSNZ) Annual General Meeting (AGM) will take place on Saturday 26th November 2022, 9am-11am.

The meeting will take place virtually, via Zoom. Full details including Zoom link, agenda and papers will be provided closer to the time.

At this stage we would like to request the following:

• Any items you or your organisations would like to add to the agenda. No items will be taken from the floor.

• Member Organisation reports - please provide a brief overview of what your organisation has been up to over the past year. This could include achievements, key events or any projects you are working on.

• Any individuals/ members who have passed away since the last AGM.

• Confirmation of who will be attending and voting on behalf of member organisations.

Please send these through via email to admin@blindsport.kiwi by 1700hrs, Friday 4 November 2022.

We are also taking applications for two (2) Board positions which are coming to the end of their term. If you are interested in applying please email admin@blindsport.kiwi with your cover letter and governance CV by 1700hrs, Friday 4 November 2022.

Please note:

• An updated Constitution will be presented for approval at the AGM. The document will be circulated with the other meeting documents before the AGM.

• No Life Memberships will be proposed at this AGM. BSNZ are looking to align the Life membership (and Hall of Fame) process with the BSNZ Sport Awards or a recognition event which is expected to take place in 2023.

We will be sending out invoices for annual membership fees to all organisations and individuals in the next week or so. A reminder that members must have paid their membership fees in order to vote at the AGM.

Membership fees due (per annum) to Blind Sport NZ 03-0195-0325293-000 are:

• National Organisations: $50

• Regional Organisations: $20

• Individuals : $10

If you have any questions or require any further details, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Kevin Smith receives ‘coach of the year’ award.

We had an opportunity to catch up with Kevin Smith and find out more about his work with our community. Kevin started playing bowls at the age of 17 after watching his brother pick up a NZ title, and is still playing 50 years later. He has had a successful bowls career in his own right having claimed numerous titles around New Zealand, but over the past 15 years Kevin has been using his talents to enable members of the Blind community to play too.

The award of ‘coach of the year’ apparently came out of the blue for him, he was awarded canterbury coach of the year 3 months ago, and then his talents and commitment got the attention of Lawn Bowls NZ who have also recognised Kevin and his work. “I still have no idea who nominated me, but I’m very humbled by it.”

Kevin found his calling around 15 years ago at Browns Bay club. Greg who is blind turned up at the club asking if he could play and was initially turned down due to the club not thinking they could cater for his needs, Kevin heard about it, and that very weekend put on a social practice for Greg. The rest is history, and they are now the very best of friends with him competing in the B1 category for bowls. “Greg is the most remarkable human, and truly one of the most inspiring people I’ve ever met, he never does the ‘poor me’ and really gets on with life, as all of the blind community tend to do”. Since that moment 15 years ago, Kevin is now heavily involved with championing Blind Bowls alongside his daily work in mental health, and currently holds the position of Secretary at the NZ Blind Bowls association, and also holds a position at Lawn Bowls NZ as their Para bowls officer, which works with physically disabled, deaf, deafblind, visual impairments, intellectual disabilities and mental health.

“Bowls is a great sport as absolutely everyone can play. The VI community is a great example of that because you can play against absolutely anyone, and from time to time you can also beat anybody with a little support. I love that it really makes a difference in people’s lives, and they feel great about themselves, as it’s something they can do that they didn’t think they could do. We need to get so many more people playing, and really get the word out there which is one our biggest challenges.”

If you are thinking about trying Lawn Bowls and unsure where to start, Kevin would love to hear from you. If you approach a club directly, they sometimes might be uncertain at first, you need local heroes, and friendly faces to make all welcome. His networks span all over New Zealand and can coordinate and facilitate you getting into a club where you feel safe and welcomed.

The NZ Blind Bowlers motto is “don’t let what you can’t do, stop you from doing what you can”. Get in touch with Kevin and start a new hobby and meet new friends.

Em: Kevincsmith23@gmail.com 

Ph: 022 528 0954.