The College Youth Games is a competition designed to celebrate today’s youth while promoting physical activity, mental well-being, and a healthy lifestyle within our community.

Youth and sport are deeply connected, offering not only physical benefits but also opportunities for personal growth, teamwork, discipline, nutrition, and essential life skills. 

Engaging in sports helps young people build confidence, resilience, and leadership skills, all while encouraging a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle encompasses behaviors and attitudes surrounding nutrition, alcohol, and substances like smoking and vaping. Through both competition and collaboration, youth learn critical values such as fair play, perseverance, respect for their bodies, and respect for others.

Our children are the future, and investing in them is key to ensuring our success as a community. In a world where mental and nutritional health are just as important as physical health, youth sports play an important role in reducing stress, improving mood, and boosting overall well-being. Teenagers need excitement and new experiences, and by combining that with the energy of a competition, we can nurture natural talent and healthier lifestyles led by our youth.

CrossFit and functional fitness offer all of these benefits and more. These sports provide the perfect opportunity for young athletes to grow, develop, and enjoy movement in a fun and supportive environment.

This year will mark the third edition of The College Youth Games, and the event will take place at The Due Drops Event Centre in Manukau. The event is focused on functional fitness for youth, with a particular emphasis on supporting our Pasifika and Māori College and High School students.

At the event, College and High School students will participate as teams of three, completing four workouts throughout the day in the main arena. The exercises and movements will be youth-specific, prioritizing movement and exercise over weight or complexity. This approach ensures that the competition is inclusive, allowing those who may not typically be involved in higher-tier sports or events to participate and thrive.

The event will also serve as an educational platform, providing youth with important information on nutrition, making healthy choices regarding alcohol and drugs, and supporting their mental health. Various educational tents will be set up to share resources on these crucial topics.

My goal for this event is to create a hub of information that supports youth through sport and physical activity.