By Dale Budge
As 2020 draws to a close it is hard not to reflect on a year that has been the most challenging the majority of us will ever encounter.
It has been hell for many reasons – some obvious and some less so. We’ve all had to go through that together and it appears 2021 might not be a great deal better as we continue to navigate our way through the COVID-19 pandemic.
But I harbour a lasting bit of optimism that through all of this carnage there are rays of light that life beyond COVID will be better than life before it. We’ve learned to do things differently; to think outside the square as what we once took for granted was no longer a given.
Like most people I was forced to take stock of my life during lockdown earlier this year. It was a tough time – I saw the majority of my work and income evaporate, I saw things that I had worked hard for disappear in the blink of an eye and I dealt with a lot of personal change as well.
It made me think about what I really wanted in life. One of those things important to me was to give something to my sporting community and thus Counties Sports Hub was created.
I was born and bred in the Counties Manukau region and grew up watching my late grandfather and my father work these fertile lands for a living. Sport and this region represent everything that I am, and I want to deliver something to our sporting community that will enrich our lives and strengthen our sport.
In Counties Sports Hub I hope to create the voice for every sport in our community. I hope to tell their stories, highlight their successes and fight their causes and be the place that sports fans rely on for their fix.
A number of sports have already agreed to work with us as we help each other to achieve. Having played cricket for most of my life in this region, I’m delighted to be showcasing the sport in a public forum again. I’ve enjoyed telling some stories already this summer and look forward to a lot more of it before the season is finished.
I applaud the leadership at Counties Manukau Cricket Association for having the vision to come onboard and be part of the Counties Sports Hub journey. It is encouraging hearing positive feedback from the cricket community. We are just scratching the surface of what is possible.
I look forward to doing the same sort of things with Counties Manukau Rugby, Pukekohe Netball and Counties Manukau Tennis in 2021 and thank you for believing in our concept as well.
I also hope that all organised sport in the region sees the benefit of working with us to achieve. I don’t care how big or small, how niche or mainstream or how resourced or under resourced – all sports should become part of what we are trying to do. We want to tell your stories and give you a voice.
We want people to know all about you, your personalities and your competitions.
When we all pull in the same direction we can do the unthinkable. The more of us that we link together, the bigger our combined audience and the easier it is to get sponsorship to help fund it. The more sports involved, the more our stories are getting out beyond our own specific audience. The more we work together, the more we can learn about what works and what doesn’t and see how we can work together to maximise opportunities.
If you like sport and care about sporting organisations in the Counties Manukau region – help us help the sport. Like us on Facebook, share our content and tell your friends and family to do the same.
I wish you all a safe and enjoyable festive season and I genuinely can’t wait to get stuck into 2021.
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