Assisting young people of West Auckland to achieve their potential through sport.
For over 25 years the Don Oliver Youth Sport Foundation has been helping West Auckland athletes who show promise to perform at an elite level. Through the great support of our friends and sponsors and the West Auckland community we have been helping athletes achieve their goals.
West Auckland pre elite athletes receiving the Don Oliver Youth Sport Foundation Sports Scholarships are announced every September.
'The Don Oliver' has evolved its awards process over 25 years of selecting athletes. Levels of Gold, Silver and Bronze Scholarships were initially introduced, then Training Grants were added for athletes knocking on the door of selection. In 2023 the Foundation added 'Letters of Commendation' to encourage ahtletes to keep on applying (or who are outside the selection ages of 14 - 21).
4 Don Oliver recipients selected for the Athletics NZ Performance Development Squad.
Don Oliver scholars selected were throwers Blessing Sefo (coached by John Eden) and Percy Maka (coached by John Maka) and Mia Powell (coached by James Mortimer). Sprinter and past Don Oliver scholar Lex Revell-Lewis was also selected.
The NZ Performance Development Squad is a 2 year programme for emerging athletes demonstrating future performance potential. It includes relevant camps and planning support to assist with learning the fundamentals of developing performance.
As with ‘The Don Oliver’, selection is dependent on athlete performance potential and relevant age/stage development needs.
Harry O'Rourke Memorial Scholarship
In 2018 the Don Oliver Youth Sports Foundation created the Harry O’Rourke Memorial Scholarship. An award granted each year for an outstanding athlete with a disability.
Harry O'Rourke was a trustee of the Foundation and a life-long Judoka. He was black belt as a fighter and one of the sport’s top administrators internationally. He was inspired by the courage and achievements of para-athletes. Harry and his wife created the award as a memorial to Harry, and believed athletes with disabilities should have the same opportunities as those without.
Applicants in this category are judged according to their achievements and not on their disability or otherwise. Outstanding para-athletes who would anyway qualify for a scholarship, would become candidates for the Harry O’Rourke Memorial Scholarship.
Our very demanding selectors judge everyone who applies, on whether they have had the results and have the skill and personal x factor, to reach the very top of their chosen sport, with the potential to succeed on the world stage. Para-athlete applicants will be selected against the same criteria as the athletes without a disability.
If you or someone you know might qualify for this award category apply now.
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