Kicks for Kids: supporting kids football and Kiwi kids
Sport is an important and meaningful part of our Kiwi culture, and ASICS is proud to be a part of the team. Having been involved in New Zealand’s sporting world for over four decades, we’re passionate about supporting the community at every level, and giving back wherever we can.
The best part about our sporting culture is that anyone can become a part of it, whether it’s cheering on your favourite team, or playing in your weekly netball match; from the elite athletes right down to the junior players.
Partnering with the Vodafone Warriors & Flava to give back to the community
While we sponsor and champion athletes at the top of their game – like our talented Vodafone Warriors players – we also make sure that we back up those just starting out.
This past month, we partnered with the Vodafone Warriors and Flava radio station in our 3rd annual Kicks for Kids campaign; supporting grassroots sport by giving two junior rugby teams free football boots to take them through the rest of the season.
Kicks for Kids 2018
For this year’s Kicks for Kids campaign, Vodafone Warriors players and ASICS Ambassadors Ken Maumalo, Peta Hiku and James Gavet joined the Flava morning crew on-air. The players heard stories about junior rugby league teams from around the country, and awarded two lucky teams ASICS football boots for all their players.
“The response for Kicks for Kids has been amazing,” said Flava’s Content Director, Hayden Hare. “Our listeners love following along with the campaign and seeing who’s leading the chase. Getting to take home new kicks from ASICS is the icing on the cake. Whanau really is the backbone of this station and anything we can do to give back is always at the top of our list.”
Like Flava, community involvement is hugely important to the Vodafone Warriors. This year, we were proud to support their community initiatives by having them come on board with our 2018 Kicks for Kids campaign.
“The young kids running around in footy competitions across the country are future Vodafone Warriors and fans of the club, and it’s incredibly important for us to do what we can to build relationships with them,” says Vodafone Warriors Community Relations Manager, Petrece Kesha. “We’re a very community-focused club and we pride ourselves on the work we do in the community. There’s always more we can do and we certainly don’t take the responsibility lightly.”
Helping open the door for young Kiwis
The team at ASICS have always been driven to do our part where we can. While it may seem like a small thing for some, for many young players, getting a pair of shoes can be life-changing.
For today’s Kiwi kids, being in their local team is not only a way for them to be active, but can open up new paths and opportunities for their future.
But, in a lot of cases, lack of access to footwear, resources and gear can prevent them from continuing this passion. As a performance sportswear brand, we want to empower young Kiwi kids to keep playing by providing them with quality footwear and gear where we can.
“We value these opportunities to foster an excitement and enthusiasm for sports in our young athletes, and hope that campaigns like Kicks for Kids inspire them to aim high.”-Jason Niles, ASICS Sponsorship Manager
A cause close to many players’ hearts
Part of what makes campaigns like Kicks for Kids so special is the fact that we can encourage some of New Zealand’s top players to give back.
For Vodafone Warriors player, Adam Blair, being a part of this year’s campaign was particularly close to his heart. Coming from a family that didn’t have a lot, getting a pair of football boots or shorts helped him on his path towards becoming the professional Rugby League player that he is today.
“Growing up, my family didn’t have a lot of money, but we had some great family friends that supported me and my younger brothers with gear and boots,” he recalls. “Now I have an opportunity to do the same, that’s really special to me.”
All ages, all levels, all sports
Over the past 40 years, ASICS has partnered with players and teams like the Vodafone Warriors to give out footwear and gear to schools, club teams, and at local events all across New Zealand. Every year, we give out over 150 pairs of shoes to community causes throughout the country.
Whether we’re giving a kid their first pair of running shoes, or sponsoring a local event, to us, it’s all about playing an active role and giving back to the Kiwi sporting community that we love so much.
Learn more about our athletes and how they’re getting involved in the community.